Misplaced
by wee-lepricauns-Inc
Summary: It's 7th Year and Hermione is Head Girl and Draco is Head Boy. A huge mistake has occured and the sorting hat reveals that Hermione is not supposed to be in Gryffindor at all... how will she survive the year?
1. A Sudden Change of Events

**Brief Description – **

**I wanted to try writing a Dramione fic for a change of pace so do bear with me here! This will be AU in terms of it won't follow the events of DH but apart from that I hope the plot isn't too far fetched. Dumbledore is dead and Voldemort is gaining power. **

So basically it's the start of seventh year and Hermione is Head Girl and Draco is Head Boy. A huge mistake has occurred with the sorting hat and Hermione is shocked when she finds out that being put into Gryffindor was all a mistake…

**Reviews would be GREATLY appreciated so I know if I should keep going or not. GREATLY! **

_Dear Hermione, _

_Have you left for the train yet? I hope this gets to you before you get to Hogwarts. Ron and I think we might know where a Horcrux is but remember don't leave the castle until we know for sure (otherwise one of the Slytherins is sure to get suspicious and rat us out). Oh by the way Ron says well done for getting Head Girl this year, he wants to know who Head Boy is too. We'll meet up in the common room tonight at exactly 15 minutes past midnight, okay? _

_Sincerely,_

_Your friends Harry and Ron _

"Helpful" Hermione growled through her teeth and tucked the letter into her robes as she continued her way down the path to Hogwarts. Usually she didn't mind the long walk to school, but that was because she had company. This year Harry and Ron had gone out venturing for the remaining Horcrux's and Hermione had decided (after weeks of debating) that staying and finishing her schooling had to come first. They could always contact each other when they needed to and daily letters had been the one thing they all agreed on.

"Hello Hermione" Luna snapped her out of her thoughts. Luna's hair had gotten even longer than Hermione thought possible and she looked even more ditzy than usual

"Luna" she replied "how long have you been walking there?"

"About ten minutes, you looked like you were sleepwalking" Luna stated, swinging her arms by her sides in the most carefree manor

"Oh did I? Sorry" she replied tucking a lock of curls behind her ear when someone roughly bumped into her shoulder "hey!" she yelled at the offending person but fell silent when she saw who it was. Draco Malfoy

"Walking alone Granger?" he smirked at her and she glared back with equal fervor "what's the matter? Weasley dump you?" he quipped then continued laughing away with the rest of the Slytherins. Hermione glared at him but continued walking with Luna. She caught herself thinking about Malfoy every now and then, she couldn't really believe that he had become a death eater. He was a spoiled little brat or course, but she didn't think he was truly evil. Hermione was so caught up in thinking about her thoughts that she didn't notice Ginny run up and stand beside her

"Did you get Ron's letter?" she asked and Hermione nearly tripped over a rock

"What? Oh, yes" she replied, slightly annoyed that she was still thinking about Draco Malfoy, he was obviously feeling good enough the make jokes at her so it couldn't be all that dire

"You should reply soon you know, he's been sending me owls all the time just to see if you've been talking about him, honestly he's such a girl" Ginny rolled her eyes and the three girls giggled. Hermione had also been thinking of Ron a lot too, but she'd noticed something different than last year. Last year she had liked him so much she could hardly bear it but now… she felt a bit different. Over the Summer she came to the conclusion that if he wasn't going to acknowledge what was obviously between them then she wasn't going to waste her energy pining after him

"Where are Harry and Ron?" Luna asked suddenly, looking around her like she was just noticing that it was only she, Hermione and Ginny

"They'll send you a letter" Hermione and Ginny chorused together. _Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad year after all _Hermione thought blissfully to herself as the grand castle finally came into view.

---- ---- -----

The students all ascended the stairs, waving their greetings to the paintings on the walls. Hermione gave a warm smile as Nearly Headless Nick floated her way and tipped his head off to her – his way of saying hello. She went to walk over to the Gryffindor table when a bony finger tapped her on the shoulder. She flipped her head around to see Professor McGonagall looking her sternly in the eyes

"You will not be sitting with them this year Miss Granger," she reminded Hermione as both their eyes sifted towards the seat at the far end of the teachers' table. It was empty and the seat was two times the size of her, but it was a nice change regardless. She walked gracefully as the chair pulled out for her and she smile – she could get used to this. She looked up and gasped, were there always this many students? From where she sat it looked like an army had gathered in the Great Hall, it looked smaller when she was sitting with them. Her eyes scanned her houses table and she noticed Ginny waving at her excitedly and Luna was talking to Neville in a hushed whisper. She waved back weakly and let her eyes wander the other tables when she noticed something different about the Slytherin table. There was no Malfoy to be found. Suddenly a thought occurred to her

"Oh no. Merlin please no" she muttered as she leant over her own table to see who was seated at the very end of it. She hoped it was someone from Ravenclaw or even Hufflepuff. At the other end of the table was Draco, looking distantly into his goblet with a foul sneer painted on his lips. Hermione sighed in defeat and sank back into her own chair, silently cursing whoever had picked _him_ as Head Boy. She barely listened to the opening speeches and she hardly touched her meals. There was no positive side to having to work with Malfoy for a whole year and she'd been searching her brain for a good reason for almost half an hour. The sorting hat was placed down on a stool about five meters from where she sat. Almost as soon as she'd noticed it, the hat turned around and gave her a calculating look. She couldn't help herself; she stuck her tongue out angrily at the hat. And it turned away, but not without raising it's brow or the part of the hat that looked like a brow.

"Students may now go to their dormitories" McGonagall spoke croakily over the roar of chatter "prefects, help the first years should they need it" she added as the students filed out like herded sheep.

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger" McGonagall motioned for them to come to her and they both did as they were told – rather reluctantly

"No one told me I was going to be stuck with you" Malfoy complained in a whisper that only Hermione could hear

"Its not like I asked for this either" she snapped back "I'd rather be stuck with Crabbe than have to spend the whole year with you" she threw her nose in the air and he scoffed

"Now as you both should know, you will be sharing a dorm, away from the other houses, but you will have separate rooms" she added looking back and forth wondering if they could really pull this off "it will be among your responsibility's to organize events like this years Halloween ball and Graduation dance which you will both attend together as Head boy and girl" she gave them a look that just dared them to complain about it, but was pleasantly surprised when neither one said anything

"Fine" Hermione said through gritted teeth, she was dying to go write to Harry and tell him all about this dreadful pairing

"Can we go then?" Malfoy asked, being as polite as he could in front of the new headmistress, giving another glare towards Hermione as she stared bitterly at the floating candles above them

"Very well" McGonagall nodded as got ready to show them to their dorms when Snape spoke from behind them in his usual nasal tone

"Perhaps Miss Granger should wait" he said quickly, holding the hat between his fingers which gave an interested glance at Hermione "in fact this may interest you too, Minerva" he added glumly as everyone – including Draco – looked at the hat expecting news

"Courage and strong will" the hat drawled out "those are the traits that I was in your mind on your first day" it recounted and Hermione tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit.

"That's why you put me in Gryffindor" Hermione finished for the hat and it looked at her carefully again

"Cunning, clever and daring" the hat was getting louder "those are the traits that I see now… peculiar… hmmm" Snape smiled and for some reason that frightened Hermione more than having to spend a year with Malfoy

"Is this going somewhere?" Malfoy asked, arms crossed as he slouched over slightly from wait for the hat for so long

"Looks like I put you in the wrong house" it almost sounded like the hat was getting its kicks out of this, the way it chuckled when it spoke now

"The wrong house? That's ridiculous of course I belong in Gryffindor" Hermione's heart sped up, suddenly fearful that she was going to have to move houses

"Perhaps" Snape clucked his tongue to get everybody's attention "Granger should try the hat on for a moment to see what house she is to move to" he shrugged, he knew that she was going to be moved to Ravenclaw, she was too smart not to

"Very well then" McGonagall snatched the hat from him and plopped it atop Hermione's head and it sunk well below her forehead so she could barely see anything. She felt the hat move around as it searched through every corner of her mind, it was rather unsettling

"Yes… yes… hmmm" its voice deepened as it droned on

"Get on with it!" Malfoy yelled at the hat in annoyance

"Yes, you were misplaced weren't you now" it wasn't a question but Hermione could help but answer

"Misplaced?" she shrieked back clenching her fists beside her robes as sweat beaded on her palms

"Gryffindor wouldn't be suitable for a mind like yours… oh no" the hat hummed "rather, it seems…" it paused as everyone waited, even Malfoy seemed interested now

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat boomed victoriously

"WHAT?" Hermione cried in terror

"What?" Snape growled, taking the hat off and clenching it tight in his sallow hands

"What?" McGonagall seemed utterly baffled that her best student was supposed to be in Slytherin when she'd done so well in Gryffindor

"What?" Malfoy looked directly at Hermione now, his eyes were dead serious and the colour had almost completely drained from his face "anywhere but

"There" Hermione finished for him

**Reviews! Keep? Delete? It's all up to you now folks! Next chapter will introduce the main plot to the story but unless I get the go ahead from you guys there wont be a chapter two! Peace!**


	2. The Game Has Begun

**Thanks to those who reviewed this so far! Also a quick shout out to – **

**Love2Love – Thank you so much for your feedback it was really helpful and this chapter should explain most of what you brought up too. **

**Barn – my most constant reviewer and one of my best friends! I love you sassy little reviews! Everyone check out her story for BtVS you won't be disappointed! **

**Introducing, the plot! **

"Slytherin!" Hermione proclaimed once again in a shrill tone "that stupid hat put _me _in Slytherin!" she growled as she, Malfoy and Professor McGonagall walked up the stairs towards the Head's dormitory.

"We get it Granger, shut up will you? You're giving me a headache." Malfoy complained as a few paintings started shushing Hermione

"I should have just gone with Harry and Ron," she mumbled under her breath "now I'm going to end up evil, oh Merlin what would my parents say if they…" she continued and Malfoy just tuned her out. As long as she was speaking in whispers he could just act like she wasn't there and this whole day had been some horrible dream. I mean honestly, having to work with a Mudblood? The things his father would say if he got out of Azkaban, he didn't even dare think about the uproar his mother would cause… it was too frightening.

"…foy!" he snapped out of his dread to see Hermione calling his name in a highly annoyed tone, her eyebrows creased angrily at him. He couldn't help but smirk, making her angry was just too easy "Merlin, are you deaf?" she rolled her eyes "_we're_ going to have to pick a password together." she informed him with her arms crossed across her chest, a rather defensive gesture.

"Fine, how about Malfoy?" he knew her reaction before she even spoke

"How about something classier? Like a colour." she suggested, too tired to fight with him… she'd get him back for all his snarky comments tomorrow.

"Okay then… black." he didn't take long to choose at all

"Gold." she said as soon as he said 'black'.

"I see you two should be fine without my help then," McGonagall sighed as her forehead creased, she could smell trouble already "once you manage to get inside, you'll find you'll have to furnish the place with your own ideas." she hinted then made her way back down the stairs without another glance at the pair

"Have you picked a password?" a large painted black bear asked them in its gruff but friendly tone, it looked at Hermione with its wise black eyes. Hermione smiled at the painting and shook her head

"We wont be long… I hope," she glanced at Malfoy who looked like he couldn't care less even if he tried "how about we meet in the middle?" she offered "Black and Gold are two separate colours so logically, when you mix them together you would get…" she searched her mind for the right colour

"Brown" he replied, she blushed. How could Malfoy have guessed that before her? Stupid, arrogant ferret. Malfoy then looked up the painting with as much dignity as one could have when talking to a painting

"The password is brown." He said to it as the bear growled in response and the painting swung open into a large torch lit room that was enough to make Hermione gasp

"What?" Malfoy seemed surprised by her reaction.

"It's… so big!" she looked the walls up and down, then noticed something else

"It's too bare," Malfoy sneered like the whole room was just not good enough "what did McGonagall say about furnishing the place again?" he looked directly at Hermione for the first time all day and she looked back at him her earthy brown eyes still sparkling with wonder.

"Granger?" he clicked his fingers in front of her to snap her out of whatever trance she was in, it worked

"Oh, right. She said we'd have to use our ideas…" Hermione replied distantly, she didn't much care about what McGonagall said, the room just had so many possibilities

"Well I've got an idea, how about a chair or something? A couch." Malfoy said with so much sarcasm it made Hermione wonder if he even meant it. She had to admit that a couch sounded nice right about now, not to mention a bed. Almost as soon as Malfoy had rolled his eyes a large white couch with a matching armchair appeared before them, next to the empty fireplace

"Of course! The room is furnished to our liking, we just have to think hard enough!" Hermione proclaimed joyfully, she couldn't wait to put up decorations

"Could have said that earlier Mudblood" Malfoy snapped at her and she threw a deadly glare his way then sighed, the name calling is just something she would have to get used to while she was Head Girl. She shut her eyes tight while she thought about the room when just like she wished two long, flowing green posters fell from the roof down to the fireplace. The fire lit also, probably something Malfoy did since she hadn't been thinking about it. He then snorted and laughed lightly at her, she turned around preparing to get angry with him but saw he was genuinely laughing.

"You made _green_ posters," he reminded her but she struggled to see what was so funny "looks like Slytherin is the place for you then." He smiled smugly at her and she turned around

"Where are the bedrooms?" she asked, her anger was still painfully apparent in her voice. Once she had spoken the words the wall raised for her, revealing a series of stairs leading even further up into the castle. Malfoy pushed her aside; he wanted to pick his room out before the Muggle-born did.

"Ladies last Granger." He began climbing up the stairs when they suddenly slanted and the sudden movement sent him toppling backwards into Hermione. She screamed a bit when his elbow slammed into her stomach and they both ended up on the ground. Malfoy groaned as he pulled his head up, he had a sudden dislike for the staircase.

"The correct term is a lady first your arrogant fool." She chided then suddenly froze she realized that his hand was gripping her wrist for support. He had surprisingly smooth skin, and his skin was much warmer than she would have thought. But the weirdest thing was the contact had hardly bothered her when it really should have.

"Whatever, like I care anyway." he retorted weakly then got up at once and thought about wanting his own room away from hers. On the opposite wall another staircase appeared and he eagerly bounded up it. Hermione just sighed and shrugged off the encounter, he was obviously just stupid, it didn't mean anything. She skipped up to her room and quickly furnished it so it felt like she was at home. It had her double bed with baby blue sheets and light green pillows. A desk with her several notebooks and folders (all lined up in exact order of course) and her green lava lamp. She wouldn't admit it in front of anyone, especially not Malfoy, but green was one of her favourite colours – next to blue and gold. She sighed and collapsed on her bed, then remembered she still had to reply to Ron and Harry. Almost as if on cue a brown, tired looking owl swooped in through her open window. She nodded knowingly at it and proceeded to sit at her desk and began writing her reply on a spare roll of parchment.

_Dear Harry and Ron, _

_I hope this letter finds you well. Again I'm so sorry I couldn't go with you… but really there was no way around it. Plus I'm sure I can be of use here somehow. I'm not going to be in the Gryffindor tower anymore as I have to stay in the Heads tower but I will write you everyday as promised. Let me know as soon you as make more progress on finding the you-know-what's okay? Since it's bound to get cold I've attached a small charm I picked up during my holidays to create a floating campfire. Make sure Harry casts it, Ron's likely to set a whole forest on fire if he tries! Write me soon,_

_Your tired friend Hermione _

And with that she rolled up the letter, with the spell attached and tied it onto the brown owls leg. It cooed gently at her and flew off into the night. Se closed the windows behind it and curled back up into her bed and let her mind drift into sleep.

-

"_Hermione, be reasonable!" her mother pleaded, looking at her daughter as if she had just gone insane. Hermione sighed and cast a worried glance at Ron who was too busy marveling at the un-moving family photo's to notice _

"_Mum its just one year, besides its important." Hermione clenched her hands together as her dad just shook his head at her in disappointment _

"_So schooling doesn't matter but prancing about with your friends does now?" he asked incredulously, this was not the daughter he remembered_

"_Of course school matters but Ronald and Harry need me," Hermione tugged at Ron's sleeve to make him help her out "don't you Ron?" she said rather conspicuously_

"_Of course yeah," Ron sniffed "plus Hermione's right bloody mental in a battle," he laughed, expecting the others to join in then caught Hermione's look "in a good way that is!" he added, like that would help the situation. _

"_Battling?" her mother replied her voice high from the sudden panic _

"_No, absolutely not, I forbid it." Her father said, his voice showed no room for compromise and he was now staring bitterly at Ron "Listen I don't care what kind of wizard gang your in but my daughter will have none of it!" he stomped his foot angrily against the floor boards, Hermione jumped at the sudden noise _

"_I understand… sorry," she mumbled then stood to go back upstairs to her room and talk about what they should tell Harry when Ron spoke again _

"_You'll let her go to Hogwarts even though loads of bad stuff's happened there but you wont let go traveling with one of the most powerful wizards of out generation?" Ron raised a red eyebrow at them and Hermione bit her tongue and dragged Ron out of the living room by his arm. She then threw the front door open and pushed him out by the back _

"_Thank you so much Ronald! That was awfully helpful!" she snapped at him, sarcasm making the words seem much harsher than she intended. _

"_What?" he looked completely shocked that he hadn't been able to help "it's not my fault that your parents don't get magic!" he defended himself when Hermione went red from both anger and embarrassment. _

"_Just go!" she shrieked. _

"_But, what about Harry?" he asked nervously. _

"_You tell him something! This is all your fault!" she yelled again and slammed the door on him and ran upstairs to her room, tears flowing ruthlessly down her face_

_- _

Hermione woke with a start, sweat gathering on her forehead. Her heart was thumping a mile a minute and she knew why – guilt. She felt bad for not standing up to her parents, she felt bad for treating Ron like an idiot, she felt bad for not telling Harry herself what had happened, she couldn't help but make herself the criminal in the situation. She glanced over to her alarm clock on her beside table, which flashed four green numbers at her. She almost fell out of bed when she saw she had less than ten minutes to make her way down to breakfast.

"Stupid clock!" she hissed at it then found herself thinking that a bathroom would be helpful; one appeared to her left, just as she knew it would. She opened her door and found that there was another door on the other side of the bathroom. _Fantastic _Hermione thought bitterly to herself when she realized that the other door must be for Malfoy. Which meant they were stuck with sharing a bathroom this year. She decided it was probably best if she woke him up too… assuming he was still sleeping that is. She brushed her teeth and climbed into her robes quickly, eager to make a positive impression on the lower year levels. She even charmed her hair to be a little less wild. She then crept silently over to Malfoy's connecting door and pushed it open. Sure enough he was asleep, his blanket was draped half over him and half over the floor. His white blonde hair looked disheveled and his eyes shifted under his lids, which probably meant he was still heavily into a dream. Hermione took a few steps into the room them froze when he shifted under the blankets and his arms moved so they rested upon his blanket. She quickly muttered '_Accio_ pillow' and fled the room when Malfoy's head collided with his wooden headboard. She skipped down to the great hall, laughing under her breath each time she though about the look he was bound to have on his face when he saw his pillow waiting at the foot of his stairs.

"Hermione!" Ginny called from the Gryffindor table and they exchanged a smile

"Good morning!" Hermione beamed at the table when she saw Ginny look at her worriedly

"It's okay, we all know about you getting moved houses," Ginny placed a hand supportively on her shoulder "it's so unfair, I mean both Malfoy _and_ Parkinson in the same room as you," she widened her eyes dramatically when a rude cough sounded from across the room. It was Pansy, and she looked mighty pissed

"You know if you're going to assume Slytherin is so horrid why not just come see for yourself?" she suggested, her thin lips were curved into a sort of snarling smile.

"Uh… maybe." Hermione replied uncertainly when a sea of students began filling up the hall, Hermione noticed among them was Malfoy. Wearing his usual sneer as he sauntered over to his house table. Hermione then realized something and looked down at her robes – sure enough they were already green with Slytherins symbol on them. She groaned and said her goodbyes to her old house and dragged her feet over to her new table. As soon as she took her seat a group of fourth years got up and moved further up the table. She rolled her eyes and reached for a pancake and began pouring maple syrup onto it. Suddenly the weight of the seat shifted, she now had Malfoy and Pansy sitting on either side of her, which was very unwanted.

"Can I help you?" she narrowed her eyes at Malfoy, wondering if this way payback for this morning or something petty like that

"We're having a house bet." Pansy said in her annoyingly smug voice like she'd just explained everything, Malfoy decided to explain what was going on to Hermione

"Its about you obviously," he stated like she would already know "see some of our lot think you won't last two months with us, but some of them also think you'll bring Slytherin back to its former glory." He explained, leaving out which side of the bet he was on.

"So naturally you want my permission." Hermione deducted for herself when Pansy shook her head

"The bets happening whether you like it or not!" she snorted, "We just want you to know that Slytherins will go to great lengths to make sure they win," Pansy's toothy grin was not at all comforting in the current conversation "have a nice day" she finished as she and Malfoy left the table. Hermione went to go cut off another bit of her pancake but found it was not on her plate anymore. As soon as the fork hit the plate her pancake came crashing down on top of her head. Maple syrup was drooping down her cheeks and onto her robes, thankfully avoiding her eyes. But it was enough to have the whole of Slytherin in hysterics and Hermione marching towards the girl's bathroom to clean herself up, and escape the embarrassing laughter

"That's fine," she muttered to herself in the mirror once she'd managed to wipe away all the pancake and syrup she could see "if they want a war then they've got one." She said flicked her wand so her hair shone it usual light brown again. Before she left she gave one smug, if not slightly mischievous, glance at her reflection and walked out of the bathroom with her chin help high.

**And there you have it people! They have awoken her inner Slytherin! Stay tuned and review, review, review! Cheers! **


	3. Something Blue

**Wow! Thanks for all the support and reviews! I wrote this chapter as fast as I could! Before I begin I've replied to a few reviews down the bottom of the page since you guys brought up some good points. Oh and I'm not J.K so this story is bound to get a little bit OOC, sorry! Continuing! **

Hermione rushed to her first class for the year – potions with Gryffindor. She'd returned to the Head's room to plan out her revenge on Malfoy and Pansy. They had no idea who they were messing with. Unfortunately she'd lost track of time and was almost late for class. It wasn't the lateness that scared her it was the fact that Snape would take points off her. She stopped running – since she was now in Slytherin then he wouldn't be able to! She began running again, whether she was in trouble or not, Hermione Granger was _never_ late. She pushed open the dungeon doors and everybody's heads turned, expecting Snape to swing through the doors. Everyone began chatting again after they realized it was only Hermione, Luna and Neville waved to her sadly, knowing she wouldn't be able to sit with them anymore. She waved back and placed herself down on the nearest seat, next to a Slytherin she did not recognize. Almost as soon as she took her seat both of the people sitting at that desk got up and moved to the front of the room. From the corner of her eye she could have sworn she saw Malfoy laughing. She didn't know why, but the lack of respect was actually starting to get to her. It didn't matter if she was practically the enemy of the whole house but was it too much to ask for a little respect? Apparently so since Pansy took her seat next to Hermione with a smug grin

"Can I help you?" Hermione asked, still bitter from the breakfast caper she'd pulled

"No." Pansy replied innocently then leaned over the table "Draco!" she cooed and his head snapped up from his conversation "why don't you sit here?" she placed a bony hand down on the seat next to her, two away from Hermione. Malfoy shrugged and picked up his books to join Pansy, smirking at the look of pain on Hermione's face.

"Brilliant." Hermione grumbled through her teeth when Snape came crashing through the doors, angry as ever. He flicked his wand over at the Gryffindor's side causing all their chairs to slide forward to face the front. Neville made a brief comment on the sudden movement making him queasy and Snape turned around with a foul grin on his sickly pale face

"Five points from Gryffindor. Already." He added superiorly. Malfoy snickered and Pansy giggled along with him, though Hermione was quite sure Pansy would do anything that Malfoy did if it made her look better.

"Today," Snape drawled out the word "we're going to be making a particularly difficult potion, highly dangerous," he smiled cruelly "open to page 32." He instructed as the lessons notes started writing themselves out on the board. Hermione's eyes flashed with horror when she saw what they were going to make – highly powerful truth potion. Her hand shot up into the air immediately, she didn't wait to be called on

"Sir, these potions can be dangerously harmful to ones health," she began "not to mention if the potions done wrong there is no telling what the consequences might be." She looked around the tables; none of them had read the book yet?

"Valid point Miss Granger, but as the smartest witch of your age what could possibly go wrong?" he replied barely looking at her but it seemed all of the room was frozen with shock. Had Snape just complimented her? Snape hated her; he was always taking points off her whenever he could. Perhaps the fact that was now in Snape's own house his view on her had changed a little bit. Or maybe there was some sinister motive behind the sudden kindness. Hermione didn't doubt the last option

"Groups of three, you have 28 minutes to prepare your ingredients, might want to get a move on Longbottom." He snapped then retreated to his desk where he began scrawling notes down on parchment.

"Shall we get started?" Hermione tried her best to act civil towards Malfoy and Pansy but it was all just wasted effort. They were both utterly uninterested in what Hermione was doing and it was obvious she would have to pull the group weight.

"I suggest you assist Miss Granger unless you want to fail this class," Snape said to them and they both looked up in astonishment "Page 32." He reminded them

"But sir," Malfoy began; feeling slightly betrayed that the teacher that favoured him had just taken a Mudblood's side "The Mudblood wants to work alone! Look at her!" he insisted pointing to a very cautious looking Hermione.

"Now, now Draco, there'll be none of that in here." Snape scolded him, eyeing him down like an angry vulture and that was the end of the conversation.

"You'll cut up the garlic cloves then?" she pushed the unpleasant smelling bad towards Malfoy who was now glaring daggers at her. She began pouring various coloured liquids into the cauldron on the table, measuring everything twice just in case. She'd read about some particularly nasty side effects to this potion. Such as a man growing a flesh eating mould on this left side of his face, and that was one of the better side effects.

"We're done! Now what?" Pansy looked just about ready for anything now, even though Malfoy had cut up most of the garlic cloves for her.

"Now nothing, just sit back, I don't want anything ruining this." She warned and Pansy ignored the order and jumped over to look into the cauldron.

"Oh! Draco look, it's so pretty!" she shrieked and pulled Malfoy over by the front of his robes. He looked into the pot, rather reluctantly as steam was creeping out the edges of the cauldron.

"It's pink." He stated, unable to see what was so pretty about it, it just looked like a pot full of pink fluff to him.

"Not for long, hand me the cloves." Hermione continued stirring the mixture with her palm held out expectantly.

"Get them yourself." Malfoy retorted and Hermione rolled her eyes at him and reached over the table to grab them.

"Sissy," she mumbled just loud enough for him to catch on

"I am not!" he replied in a hushed tone

"Not what?" Hermione looked around the room like she'd missed something important then grinned to herself as she poured all the cloves into the mixture. It made an incredible hissing noise, like when you put something hot into cold water. The three of them held their noses when a horrid stench filled the air and then wafted away

"You didn't mention anything about a smell!" Pansy complained

"Because I don't want to hear you whining all the time!" Hermione explained coughing slightly as the smell began wafting away towards the open window.

"The potion Mudblood, did it work?" Malfoy asked, not noticing Hermione's obvious discomfort with the word Mudblood. She knew it was just a word, but whenever someone used it against her it made her feel so singled out. And she hated feeling singled out more than anything.

"Keep your pants on ferret," she answered and he rolled his eyes, ignoring the sniggers from the desk in front of him. No one had ever let him forget when he was turned into a ferret "yes I think it worked!" she mentally applauded herself for a job well done. Then she glanced up at the clock and found they still had seven minutes remaining. She then turned to Pansy, with a look of curiosity and her lips were pursed together while she thought. Pansy looked a bit scared all of the sudden, like Hermione was about to curse her or something silly like that

"W…what are you looking at?" she stammered when Hermione reached for the nearest clean flask and scooped up some of the now bright yellow potion into it

"Might as well test it out!" she handed the small flask to Pansy who eyed it suspiciously and then looked at Hermione again, this time looking rather childish

"Is it safe to drink? You said it was dangerous…" she muttered so that Malfoy couldn't hear and Hermione snorted loudly, to catch everyone's attention

"Of course it's safe! Don't be such a chicken!" she laughed

"Really Pansy, you're being paranoid." Malfoy caught on to the situation quickly, and decided that whatever the results were they would be amusing enough.

"Okay… good point I guess," she looked uncertainly at Snape who was watching with a wicked smirk on his face "h…Here goes!" she put on a brave face and downed the potion as slowly as humanly possible. She then placed the flask on the table and gave her best smile to the crowd watching her with eager faces.

"So, how do you feel?" Malfoy asked, wondering if the potion was a success or not

"I feel… good!" she replied and everyone walked away in disappointment

"Did you plan the pancake prank this morning?" Hermione asked suddenly, her smile was so wide it almost looked unnatural.

"Of course not!" Pansy shook her head, however as she did her hair turned a bright shade of blue and Hermione then knew the potion had worked. The potion was so you could sniff out a liar, if the person in question told a lie then their hairs would turn blue

"Look at her hair!" Neville pointed at Pansy and she looked up obliviously as if looking at the ceiling would allow her to see the top of her head. She pulled a lock in front of her eyes and screamed an ear splitting scream

"What did you do!" she shrieked at Hermione who was almost crying with laughter like the rest of the room "make her stop!" she complained loudly to Snape who strode forward and peered inside their cauldron

"10 points to Slytherin." He grinned at both Malfoy and Hermione then strode back to his desk, not before hearing Neville and Luna's potion explode pink musky liquid in their faces.

"Oh, thank Merlin it was only temporary!" Pansy sighed in relief as her hair turned back to its normal dark colour. Hermione decided not to tell her that for the next 24 hours if she told even a small white lie he hair would continue turning blue. By the end of class it seemed that Slytherin had gained just the smallest dab of respect for the stunt she pulled with the potion. Though it was clear none of them were going to accept a Mudblood. Not for a good long while at least.

"Cute trick Granger." Malfoy smirked at her on his way out the dungeon and she froze, what was with all the sudden compliments from people who were supposed to hate her? First Snape and now Malfoy? Things were just getting weirder and weirder.

-

The day passed by without incident, she'd gone to all her classes and done all the required work. Thought McGonagall kept throwing worried glances over to her every 10 minutes in class. She walked in with the crowd to the great hall for dinner. She looked up expecting to see Dumbledore glancing down happily at the swarm of students. It was that moment when she realized that he really was gone. Everything was truly different this year, not to mention nothing was the way it should be. As she neared the Slytherin a pudgy looking sixth year crushed her toes with her over-sized foot. Hermione bit her tongue and sat down at the very back of the table. She wasn't permitted to sit up the top with teachers unless it was a special event (like the first years sorting or Halloween) so she was stuck with Slytherin until something interesting happened. From the front of the table she heard her name being whispered and then uproars of laughter. She flicked her head around and as soon as she did everyone looked away from her and stopped talking.

"I'm not a ghost!" she yelled at them and searched the table so she could give her famous death-glare to both Malfoy and Pansy. But to her surprise Malfoy wasn't sitting at the table, her eyes searched the hall for his bleach white hair but with no luck. Suddenly an idea stuck her and she smiled at her own genius. She picked up two plates of food and one goblet of pumpkin juice and walked up to McGonagall

"Professor, would it be okay if I brought Mal… Draco's dinner to him, I don't think he's feeling very well." She lied, in truth she had no clue if Malfoy would even be where she thought her was. She only said his first name to keep up appearances that they were getting along, otherwise she might be told to just sit back down.

"Of course, but remember you have Head duties tonight, my office at midnight" she reminded her and Hermione nodded enthusiastically – she was looking forward to being Head Girl all year. She walked back out the doors, forgetting to wave back to Ginny who seemed a little bit cut when Hermione had no reaction to her greeting. Hermione felt guilty but wasted no time turning around, she had much more urgent matters to attend to right now so Ginny would have to wait.

-

Malfoy sat on the pale white couch wearing a long sleeved black shirt and dark blue denim jeans. He was staring into the fire just thinking about his life, his messed-up-nightmare of a life. His father was still in Azkaban and it didn't look like he was ever going to be getting out there. His mother was barely there and when was she was insisting that Draco should leave the house for a while since they were having a few 'guests' over. Which happened more often than Draco would like. It was sort of ironic, the prince of Slytherin was always alone no matter how many loyal (or not so loyal) fans he had at Hogwarts. The painting slid forward but Malfoy didn't hear it, nor did he see Hermione stumble in through the portrait hole.

"Malfoy!" she yelled, like she'd been saying his name before that, he just sneered and looked over to her lazily. She was carrying two plates of food.

"Bit peckish Granger?" he joked and she slid the food across the small coffee table that his feet were resting on, then placed the goblet next the where the plate stopped

"You didn't show up so you might as well eat something," she explained "but I still don't like you." She finished making sure he didn't misinterpret her actions for some brave act of kindness

"How do I know none of this is poisoned?" he joked, knowing that she didn't really have the guts to poison a Head Boy. Catching her glare he picked up the goblet and downed the pumpkin juice in one go.

"I'm going to bed, we have Head duties at midnight." She informed him at made a beeline for her staircase. She was glad to have her own private room, and grateful she wasn't sharing a room with Malfoy for the year. They had connecting bathrooms but she could just put a doorstopper in the door if she wanted some peace and quiet.

"Thanks." Malfoy said shortly after she'd alerted him about McGonagall's message

"What did you just say?" Hermione was looking at the back of the couch where she could only just see the back of Malfoy's head. Had he just said thanks to her? What in the world was wrong with him today?

"I said thanks, don't think it'll ever happen again Mudblood." He said in-between mouthfuls of food. He wasn't going to admit it, but he was incredibly grateful for the food, he'd been sitting there for half an hour listening to his stomach growl. But he didn't really like having sit at the Slytherin table anymore. Last year he'd mostly sat alone, feeling sorry for himself and he didn't need anyone to see that weakness, especially not the Mudblood.

"Er… right." She replied then made her way upstairs wondering what had caused him to be so randomly nice to her. When she opened her door she saw the same brown owl from last night waiting for her with two letters attached to its leg. She walked towards it when a jet-black coloured owl swooped in, dropped a crumpled up letter and swooped out again before Hermione could even blink. She decided she'd read the ones from Harry and Ron first. She had a feeling Ron might have written his own note containing nothing but disdain for Malfoy working alongside her. She opened one and noticed that it was definitely Harry's writing.

_Hermione, _

_If he does anything to you, at all, do not hesitate to tell us. After all Ron would be more than happy to fly back to Hogwarts and curse the living daylights out of him. We think we've found a Horcrux so depending on if it's legit or not we may not reply for a few days but don't worry about us. Also Ginny sent us a letter, how come you didn't tell us you were moved to Slytherin? I could write to McGonagall and ask her to move you back! You don't belong in Slytherin! It's probably a plan, after all why wouldn't the death eaters want a powerful witch such as you? I'm sure they'd jump at the chance to corrupt one of Hogwarts best students. I hope your well_

_Love Harry_

_P.S – Ron's written his own letter, he wont tell me what he wrote to you, sorry._

"Oh Merlin…" Hermione wasn't sure to feel scared or excited for them, I mean they might have finally found a Horcrux, but it was an awfully dangerous mission they were on and she was terribly worried. She took a deep breath and opened up Ron's letter which was much shorter and much messier than Harry's

_Dear Hermione, _

_Malfoy! Why don't you just curse the git and team up with someone from Hufflepuff! That'd be much better! I like that plan! I don't trust that git being anywhere near you! Also Slytherin Hermione? SLYTHERIN? You didn't say anything about Slytherin! Anything else you'd like to let us know while we're finding out all these stupid facts? _

_Love from Ron_

_P.S – Slytherin!_

"Stupid, it's not like I had a choice…" she growled at Ron's messy letter and threw Harry and Ron's letter at her desk and moved over to the new mystery letter. It was in a silver envelope with green lining on the edges. She tore it open, she was rather angry with Ron's narrow-minded letter. Did he think that she couldn't defend herself? That she wouldn't last in Slytherin?

_Hermione Granger, _

_Welcome to Slytherin!_

_B_

"B… who's B?" she wondered aloud then slumped down onto her bed and ignored the owl's hoots, reminding her to write back to Harry and Ron. She let her mind go blank as she caught up on the few hours of sleep she could get before midnight. She was quite looking forward to midnight; she wanted to see if her plan had really worked.

**Ooh, mystery! Any guesses as to whom B might be? Or any idea's for pranks you'd like to see happen? Also just some quick replies to some questions and reviews **

**xLove-Hate-Realtionshipx – there is an ulterior motive behind the whole move, but that will reveal itself in time. I put a few clues as to why in this chapter (like Harry's letter was a clue) **

**Emmaaaaa – glad I could get you hooked! Stay tuned!**

**DracoXAlyssa – I get your point, but that would apply to every Dramione story, if you don't like the pairing then why read the stories? **

**Anyway next chapter, midnight tricks and a few awkward encounters! It'll be in a few days! Review! **


	4. A Minor Problem

**It's official - I love you guys. I've only done three chapters and you guys have been great! I hope you like this one! I'm not J.K; if I were I would not be living at home would I? **

**Quick note – I'm pretty sure the books don't have **_**all**_** the teachers names so I've made up a few, correct me if I'm wrong and I'll edit the chapter! **

Hermione woke slowly realizing that she'd slept through her alarm. It was ten minutes past twelve, which meant that she was ten minutes late to her first ever Head meeting. She didn't have time to put her robes on so she just slipped her school jumper on over her head and bolted down the stairs. As she passed through the living area of the Head's common room she noticed an empty plate and an empty goblet. She smiled to herself

"Success." she mumbled to herself with a sly – if not smug – smile. As she ran for McGonagall's room she wondered if Malfoy had gotten up yet, he of all people would do that to her. As she rounded the corner and threw the doors open with both of her arms the whole room turned to look at her. Malfoy and McGonagall were standing in front of the new prefects. Among them was Ginny who was glaring daggers at Hermione – still touchy about Hermione ignoring her previously at the Great Hall.

"Forget about the gathering did we Miss Granger?" McGonagall addressed her sourly

"Might want to set a better example next time." Malfoy looked like he had in the common room, blank and unreadable.

"You stupid g-," she stopped herself off McGonagall's warning look "what were you saying Professor?" Hermione smoothed the front of her school skirt and sat down on the nearest chair, and glared angrily at the back of Malfoy's head.

"Prefects have been given their orders and I expect you to be done in one hour and no less!" she winkled her nose and watched as the prefects scrambled out and began their first night of duty. Then she turned her gaze onto Hermione and Draco. Draco was leaning so far back into his chair it almost looked as though he was lying down. Hermione was sitting upright, back as straight as could be and was listening intently to anything McGonagall had to say.

"I'll need you two to help the Ancient Runes teacher with a new batch of runes that need to be checked for any curses or jinx's," she tapped her foot "Room 42, now might be good." She hinted out and Hermione and Draco quickly got to their feet and began walking towards room 42. Draco had his hands stuffed into his pockets and looked as though he'd rather be walking with a ghost. Hermione decided now was a good a time as ever to see if her plan had worked

"How was your dinner?" she asked awkwardly and he just shrugged – _Damn_ Hermione thought, she was going to have to try harder than that to get an appropriate lie out of him

"Um…" she fanned herself down as they passed down a particularly humid hallway "how come you can wear your robes and everything? It's boiling." She said as they passed by room number 32, it couldn't be far now.

"I'm fine." Draco stated but his hair went blue – Hermione suppressed a laugh as his hair returned to its normal white-blonde colour

"Do you like Ancient Runes?" she wondered, trying to sound casual, though she just wanted to see his hair turn blue, it was quite the humorous image

"No." Blue again for a few seconds. Hermione grinned and he noticed her sudden change of attitude

"What?" he spat, completely disgusted that she would smile in his presence

"Oh, nothing!" she waved her hand in the air to show the conversation was finished. They walked into room 42, which was in a hallway that nobody ever used in the school. Draco sniffed as though something revolting had passed under her nose. Hermione dimly wondered what could be so disgusting when she finally caught a whiff of it too.

"Oh Merlin! That's just foul!" she clutched her jumper sleeve to her mouth and nose in a pitiful attempt to block the smell. Draco didn't say anything in reply, but it was plain on his face that he was not enjoying himself at the slightest

"Oh, brilliant, you've come!" a familiar croaky voice that they both recognized at their Ancient Runes professor – Professor Ramming. He was an elderly man, though he kept his youth fairly well, even with the constant frowning at incorrect answers.

"What would you like us to do?" Hermione asked politely when three large boxes floated towards Hermione and Draco.

"Sort those out into piles of Cursed and non-cursed." He said and without further ado began rummaging through his pile of boxed

"Sir, how are we supposed to know if they're cursed or not?" Draco refrained from scoffing at the task in the presence of a teacher

"It's simple really, you tap the etchings with your wand, and if your wand glows then its cursed, everybody knows that." She finished sharply and he rolled his eyes

"Right I must've been away when they taught _How-to-be-an-annoying-know-it-all."_ he retorted and she ignored the jibe

"But you managed to learn _How-to-be-an-arrogant-racist-prat _all on your own!" she chimed angrily and they exchanged matching glares

"Well, hop to, don't want be too tired tomorrow!" Ramming interrupted with an oblivious smile and jolly swing of his arm – he was delighted to have his two best students helping him with the task.

"Yes, sir." they replied in unison and returned to glaring down at the boxes.

"I'll take that one." Hermione stated looking at the biggest box she could see, marked as _Viking Runes_. She'd read all about the Viking's before and she couldn't wait to get started. Her excitement turned to annoyance when Draco snatched the box for himself.

"Give that back!" she kept her yell to a whisper

"No, I saw it first, besides I want this one Mudblood." He turned head so she could see him smirk properly. She huffed angrily then sighed through her nose and picked up a second box marked _Egyptian Runes. _

"I suppose this'll have to do then, and _do not_ call me that!" she warned tucking her hair behind her ears and rolling up her sleeves. Draco had already torn open his box and was clueless, tapping away with his wand in hand. Hermione snorted and caught his wand in the air with her fingers and tapped it down on the picture engraved on the pale stone.

"Hey, let go of my wand Granger!" he snapped and she rolled her eyes at him

"Honestly, how long do you plan on being so difficult?" she sighed, and then began checking her own runes, finding most of them were cursed. She was at the last two or three runes when Professor Ramming walked over with his trademark waddle.

"Right then, I'm done for now, I'll trust you to finish that last box together then?" he made it sound like a question even though he waddled out of the room. Draco was utterly pissed that one of his favoured teachers had just sentenced him to a night alone with Know-it-all-Granger. Hermione was astounded that a teacher would just leave two Slytherins in a room without supervision, with cursed objects no less.

"Granger, do you want to open the last box or shall I?" Draco asked Hermione, looking her directly in the eyes for the first time all day. Hermione stared back, her stare was a lot less casual and was full of shock.

"Did you just ask me a question?" she seemed bewildered by this fact

"Yes?" he wasn't quite sure if that was the answer she wanted or not

"A _civilized _question? Without calling me Mudblood?" she tilted her head as if she was studying an image that made no logical sense.

"Well if you prefer Mudblood," he drawled then eyed her as she shook her head

"No, I was just shocked is all," she held a hand to her chest as if expecting a heart attack to occur "I didn't think you of all people would know what manners were." She half-joked, though she was sure Draco had no regard for manners.

"Well you obviously don't know me very well." He countered and she snorted

"Right, rich, selfish, annoying… I think I know you well enough." She replied

"You might be the smartest witch at Hogwarts, but don't assume you know anything about me." He sounded almost threatening but Hermione missed the threatening undertone to his voice and heard his words instead

"You think I'm smart?" she was perplexed with the number of compliments she'd been getting lately from Slytherin.

"No." Draco spoke a little two quickly and Hermione blushed slightly when his hair turned blue for a few brief seconds.

--

"Done!" Hermione cheered and then stretched her arms out, her back and neck cracking loudly as she did so. She'd been sitting down on a desk beside Draco's, the box between the two of them, for almost 2 hours now. She couldn't wait for sleep.

"About time, I was getting bored with all those stupid drawings!" Draco complained, and got up from his seat and quickly straightened his back up into his usual posture. His father had always told him – Malfoy's never slouch. Though he used more words than that and a cane. Draco narrowed his eyes just thinking about when his father was still living at home. Hermione wondered if the potion had worn off Draco yet, she had only put in a small amount so it didn't discoloured the drink and make Draco suspicious.

"They're not drawings, and they're certainly not boring!" Hermione turned to face him, excited to be sharing knowledge "they can even be used in spells and charms, not to mention the number of cursed those things can carry! They're really very fascinating!" she nodded to her own deduction

"Granger, you need a pet or something." Draco replied, amazed at how she could get so excited over school seven years after starting it. No one else seemed to get the same thrill over doing double assignments that she did.

"I have a pet!" she replied in mock hurt, surprised that she and Draco were again having a civilized conversation.

"Then you need a better one." He smirked and he fought the smug grin he could feel tugging at his lips. Just because she was a Slytherin now she wasn't going to get any special treatment.

"Let's just go, I'm tired enough without you rattling on." Hermione glared at him for the remark about Crookshanks. Draco nodded and they headed for the door, keeping a fair distance from each other as they did. Draco went to turn the door handle but it wouldn't budge. His eyes flashed with something Hermione had seen a dozen times from Harry, Ron and even herself sometimes.

"What?" she dreaded the answer already, thinking he'd gotten cursed or something

"It's locked."

--

Ginny wondered around the halls, wondering if she could catch Hermione before she returned to bed too. She wanted to ask what was going on, she wanted an apology. As she rounded a corner she ran into another person, her nose colliding with their chest. She backed away, holding her aching nose and looked up at the culprit.

"Who are you?" she asked defensively

"Zabini, Blaise Zabini, you're the Weasley girl aren't you?" he asked eyeing her flashy red hair with a cheeky smile on his dark coloured face.

"Yes." She mumbled, her face going red at being recognized so easily

"Sixth year prefect right?" he asked, as though they'd been friends for years

"Yes." She said again then noticed the green snake on his robes and crossed her arms around her chest "is there anything else you want?" she spat viciously

"Nope!" he smiled again, a cute, white toothy smile that would have made Ginny blush had she not have noticed that he was a Slytherin.

"Good." She stated then stormed back to the Gryffindor tower, forgetting all about Hermione by accident

"Sweet dreams." Blaise chuckled and she picked up her pace a little as the back of her ears flashed a fiery red.

--

"Try it again." Hermione demanded, panic already evident in her eyes, let alone in her voice. Draco glared at her and growled something under his breath that Hermione didn't quite catch.

"I told you Granger, it's locked, we're stuck in here 'till Filch or someone finds us." He sneered then slumped down against the classroom wall. Hermione flicked her head around at him, her eyes as wide as an owl.

"No! Filch cant find us! He'll tell McGonagall and I wont be Head Girl anymore!" she replied, almost crying at the thought of having to live with Slytherin for a year. Draco wasn't too bad since they didn't talk and they never needed to use the bathroom at the same time – generally speaking they worked well together when they had to.

"Relax would you?" Draco pulled his knees up and got comfortable, slinging an arm around his legs "McGonagall isn't going to fire you if that's what you're worried about, it's not like it's our fault Ramming had the door locked." He pointed out and Hermione took a deep breath and sat down on a desk.

"I guess you're right…" she considered that for a moment then sat up again, still in the chair but very alert "what if Snape finds us? He'll give me detention for sure!" she complained and Draco shook his head

"If this happened last year then yeah he would have, but not now." He replied, seemingly not fazed by the fact he was trapped in a classroom that barely anyone went into unless they absolutely had to.

"Why?" Hermione asked, desperate for a distraction

"Because you were a Gryffindor." He looked at her with an odd expression, like he was talking to someone with slight mental problems.

"Merlin! Can't Slytherins get over their prejudices for one moment! There's no wonder Slytherin is the most hated house here!" she replied furiously

"Our prejudices! Have you heard yourself speak? You're just as bad as us!" he defended himself, finding he was rather enjoying the argument.

"I am nothing like you! Thank you very much!" she stomped her foot under the desk angrily and he rolled his eyes at her

"Pot calling the cauldron black." He retorted and then Hermione's mouth twitched into something of a smile

"Oh, please! Name one time when you were nice to a Muggle!" she challenged and his eyes shifted around in thought while she watched him superiorly "I knew it!" she laughed and he snapped his eyes back at her.

"Okay! I know one! King's Cross in third year I said 'thanks' to one of those Muggle train guards." He gave her a pointed look as if he were King of the World.

"That doesn't count! I mean when you were nice from the bottom of your heart – if such a beast exists." She rested her head on her arms down on the desk surface.

"Very funny," he said quickly before continuing "okay then fine… I am a little bit prejudice, but I didn't really have a choice did I?" his tone changed a little, he sounded strained by the end of his sentence

"What do you mean 'didn't have a choice', how could you not?" she seemed clueless as to how someone wouldn't be able to have control over their own lives

"Have you met my father?" he asked sarcastically, knowing full well that she indeed did meet his father.

"I see your point." She didn't mean to, but she felt the slightest twinge of pity for him in that fleeting moment he spoke of his dad.

"No you don't." is all he said in reply so she shut her mouth from asking anything further. She decided she should change the subject

"Are you taking the NEWT's this year?" she asked with forced causality

"Of course, it's the only one-way ticket to…"

"… Any job the wizarding world has to offer" Hermione finished, rather excited at the prospect at getting a job, Draco nodded, seemingly understanding that excitement.

"What do you reckon you'll end up doing?" Draco asked, diverting the topic as far away from his father as he possibly could, Hermione gave him a thoughtful look

"I was thinking of opening my book store, but to be honest, I'm not sure I'd be very good at it." She admitted

"Merlin, is Hogwarts very own Know-it-all scared of opening a store?" Draco opened his eyes wide as he could just to push her buttons a little

"No! Don't be silly!" she replied then sighed heavily "it's not the books or anything, it's just that… what if people just don't care? It'll just be another witch opening a bookshop…" she whispered, thinking back to the man who ran Flourish and Blotts who everyone took for granted, he was practically a walking doormat – something Hermione did not aspire to become.

"Well not exactly." Draco seemed a bit hesitant

"Beg yours?" she prepared herself for an insult or a rude remark about her smarts

"Well if they see you, Granger – smartest witch of our generation – I think they'd be more than a little interested to see your store." He mentally kicked himself for reassuring her that way. They were meant to hate each other for Merlin's sake!

"You're the oddest person…" Hermione laughed just a little bit "though I know you wont admit it yourself, but you've changed a fair bit…" she confessed and he gave her a look of utter interest.

"You think I've changed?" he raised an eyebrow

"Not to any great extent or anything," she met his steel-like eyes for a moment "but in some small ways you're quite different to the little arrogant brat I used to know." She gave him a small, but certain smile. He didn't return it, but he didn't glare or sneer at her in response either

"Like I said, you don't know me Granger." He said quietly and she nodded

"That's probably a good thing." She laughed a hearty laugh and put her head back down into the cradle her arms had created. She let her eyelids flutter to a close and felt herself fall fast asleep, more content than she'd been for a good while. Draco couldn't help but watch as she did that, wondering if he should try to sleep too. He rested his head back against the hard bricks of the castle wall and closed his eyes

"Probably." He agreed and let himself feel comfortable enough to fall asleep, even though he was more or less, in enemy territory. He didn't notice Hermione open her eyes and smile slightly when he replied to her.

--

**I was quite indifferent about this chapter until I got to the end, then I started liking it! It's sad but I want this story to be really good. Reviews, reviews! Also what did you guys think of Blaise's first appearance? I like Blaise; therefore, he will most certainly be back! **


	5. A Malfoy In Need

**Some responses to reviews are down the bottom (mainly to those who had questions or theories). Anyway, this chapter will explain a few questions and have a fair bit of character development.**

McGonagall had returned to the locked room only to find the two of them fast asleep, a meter away from each other. She shook each student awake, finding Draco woke much faster than Hermione did. Neither of them said too much (especially to each other) as they made their way back to their Head's room. Hermione however noticed one small difference; he wasn't wearing his usual scowl. Draco on the other hand was fully aware of Granger watching him every so often but easily ignored her.

"You don't have to worry about class tomorrow morning, its looks like neither of you would be able to wake up for it anyway." McGonagall eyed them carefully then made her way back down the stairs.

"Did she just give us the morning off?" Hermione was amazed. McGonagall was always annoyed at students who didn't turn up and she had just practically asked them not to turn up at all.

"Yeah," Draco replied somberly "Brown." He quoted the password and the large bear growled it's familiar growl and swung aside for them. He walked directly for his room and Hermione to hers. Once she was inside she decided she couldn't sleep, there was too much on her mind. Instead of pondering her thoughts she walked over to her desk and picked up some parchment and her favourite quill.

_Harry, _

_Thank you for the letter, I hope your travels are going well. Did you end up finding the you-know-what? I hope it's all running smoothly but stop stressing over me. You're being rather paranoid, it was the sorting hat that chose this, and it's not some sort of plan. Or at least that's what I'm thinking; maybe I could do a bit of snooping… I'll let you know. I hope this finds you well. _

_Love always,_

_Hermione _

She folded the letter and placed it down on the left side of her desk, then picked up a new piece of parchment and began writing away again.

_Dear Ron, _

_I'm not going to curse anybody. Stop jumping to conclusions and don't get angry with me, it's not like I asked the hat to switch me. And no Ronald, there are not any stupid facts I'd like to inform you about. If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all! _

_Hermione_

She put her quill down and flexed her hands, flinching when her bones cracked. She sighed a thought about what she wanted to do in the morning. She decided she should study for the NEWT's even if they were at the end of the year – they were still important. She looked out her window and her eyes landed on the darkened lake. That would be the prefect place to study in peace without being questioned about classes. She turned back to her desk and then saw the tiny note that was sent to her alone with Ron and Harry's.

_Dear B,_

_May I know your name? I'd rather know who's owling me. Do you go to school here?_

_HG. _

And with that she let herself fall down onto her desk and rested for a moment.

--

Morning came and he woke up immediately, his body clock waking him up half an hour before breakfast. Draco Malfoy was not a morning person, however this morning he was rather happy. He didn't mind classes or anything, but he certainly didn't mind getting a get-out-of-class-free card. He walked over to his bathroom door and heard water running, Granger must've gotten there before him.

"Granger!" he yelled, knocking loudly on his wooden door that Hermione had locked from the inside so he couldn't barge in on her by accident.

"Go away Malfoy!" she called back letting the bathwater run hot. She hated cold baths.

"Hurry up!" he replied then went to go sit on his bed. He picked up his book and began reading to pass the time. Hermione took her time, just to piss him off. She sat in the bath in her bathing suit (she was slightly paranoid of using a shared bathroom) and traced patterns in the water with her finger. After almost twenty minutes of just relaxing in the steam she decided it was time to study. She dried herself off and charmed her hair to stay dry and flat. Although her curls still stuck out a little they weren't nearly as wild as they had been when she woke up. Picking up her school uniform and robes she dressed herself quickly. Then she stormed over to Malfoy's door and threw it open

"I'm done now." She informed him and he looked up from his book with tired eyes

"Okay." He replied and she eyed him suspiciously

"What?" she snapped when he didn't look away

"You do remember that we have the morning off right?" he gave a pointed look to her clothes and she crossed her arms

"If you must know I'm going to study this morning." She answered

"You've been at school a week and you're studying?" Draco rolled his eyes "you're choice I guess." He shrugged then picked up his towel that was draped across his desk chair. Hermione however had moved from her spot from the door and was looking at the book Draco was reading her eyes wide with awe.

"I don't remember saying you could come in." he snapped and she ignored him

"You've got Robin Roberta's _42 Myth's in our Wizarding World?"_ she picked up the book and began scanning through pages "how did you get this? It's not supposed to be out for sale yet! Hogwarts doesn't even have it!" she shrieked, wondering how on earth her got his hands on a book this rare.

"I have my ways, what's it to you anyway?" he couldn't help but be amused by the display she was putting on just for a silly book.

"It's from one of the best selling new writers in the wizarding world! You should be guarding that book with your life!" she scolded him and he couldn't help himself – he chuckled at her and she froze in the middle of her rant.

"Draco Malfoy, did you just laugh at me?" she placed a hand on her hip as he regained his composure.

"No." he lied, lucky for him the potion had worn off or his hair would be turning all shades of blue right now.

"Humph!" she feigned anger then went to walk out of the room, the book still in her hands, she almost made it to the door when he placed a hand on her shoulder

"I believe that's mine." He stated, still rather amused he was having trouble fighting the smile threatening his lips.

"Don't see your name on it!" Hermione retorted and left her mouth agape when he snatched the book from her grasp "Oh please! I'll be quick! Really!" she couldn't believe she was begging Draco Malfoy for a book.

"Forget it Granger! And my name is on it by the way." He opened to the very first page where his initials were written in a beautiful cursive way in the top right corner.

"Can I at least have it when you're done?" she bartered, a bit annoyed that his bookmark was still so early on in the book – she'd just have to be patient.

"Maybe, now get out of my room, you'll infect me." He jibed, not realizing that his last remark had struck a nerve. Hermione stomped out of the room and slammed her bathroom door. Draco stood still in the middle of his room, slightly pissed off that she had the nerve to walk out on him like that. Had he really offended her bad enough to have her make such a scene? Suddenly he found himself feeling an emotion that a Malfoy was not supposed to feel – regret. He regretted being the one who wiped the smile from her face when they had just been (to some extent) getting along. Draco Malfoy felt bad.

--

Hermione skimmed through all the books she'd brought with her and checked her watch. She had exactly two hours before her next class would start. For some reason she found that she was too tired to study. She'd have to make up for that tonight – sleep sounded too good to pass up right now. She closed her advanced potions textbook and leant back against a tree. She thought about Harry and Ron and what on earth they might be up to at that exact moment. Then she thought about her parents and how badly annoyed she'd been with them when she boarded the train. She didn't even say goodbye to them, she just stomped away like angry Hermione often did. Then she thought about Ginny and Luna, her two only female friends and she had barely even noticed them this week. She felt horrible about her behavior but the whole war-with-Slytherin meant he energy had to be directed elsewhere. She'd make it up to them… eventually. Before long she'd lost herself in her tangled web of thoughts and fallen asleep. She dreamt back to a simple time when she'd realized her fear for the first time.

_It was in third year when Ron and Harry weren't talking to her. She'd gotten curious one day and_ _snuck out to the broom closet and stolen one. She'd seen Harry do it a ton of times, even Ron seemed to think it was simple. So really, she was smarter than both of them, how hard could it be? She walked out towards a clearing where Hagrid had made sure no Dementor's were lurking and mounted the broom._

"_Okay, just kick off…" she whispered to herself, remembering her first ever lesson she threw her foot into the ground and the broom shot off. It was faster than anything she'd ever experienced and the fact she didn't know what she was doing scared her. There was no book in the library that told her what to do once she was up. Looking at the ground from so far up she began to cry. When she finally figured out how to land she left the broom on the grass and ran for Hagrid's hut. She didn't tell him what had happened and he naturally guessed Ron was yelling at her about Scabber's again. From that day forth she'd been terrified of flying and never touched a broom again. _

Hermione woke up with a jolt. She'd slid off the tree she was leaning on and was now laying awkwardly on the grass. She got back into a sitting position and smoothed down her robes and picked some leaves from her hair. Whilst fixing herself up her foot hit something with jagged corners making her gasp a little. She turned around and then raised an eyebrow in confusion. It was Draco's book.

"Hello?" she called, wondering if he was hiding somewhere with some Slytherins trying to play some sort of prank on her. Ignoring the paranoia she felt she opened the book and small slip of parchment fell out. She picked it up from the grass and read the few lines it had.

_I'm done. Don't take forever with it. _

_DM_

Hermione couldn't believe it; she let out a squeal of delight and started flipping through the pages. She studied the pictures with a strange glimmer in her eyes and took in different names and dates in her mind, just out of excitement. She checked her watch quickly, snapping the book shut when she saw she had about 2 minutes to make it to Charms. When she got there the other students were just filing in and hardly even noticed her noisy arrival. Well everyone except one – Pansy Parkinson.

"Oh look, it's the Mudblood," she grinned when two girls following loyally behind her snickered at Hermione "what's the matter? Fall out of a tree?" she laughed and pointed at Hermione's outfit which was slightly dusty after falling asleep outside. Hermione blushed in embarrassment and shuffled inside to take a seat towards the front of the classroom. She opened up her textbook and listened to Flitwick ramble on about the Turn-Around charm. Sighing she felt her previous emotions of excitement fall down the proverbial drain.

--

Classes seemed to take longer and longer as the day went on. Hermione usually wouldn't have minded this, but the constant sniggering and pointing was just getting to be a little too much to handle. She decided to skip on dinner that night and she headed straight for the Head's room where she could relax in peace. Once inside she took off her robe and draped it over the couch, sitting snugly in just her jumper and skirt. She curled up into the corner of the couch and muttered '_Accio Book' _and began reading Draco's book. She then heard a noise from upstairs, somewhere in the bathroom something was moving about. She closed the book and listened again, but no further noise was made. Regardless of what her gut was telling her she crept up the stairs to her room and slowly made her way to the bathroom door. Pressing her ear against the wooden door she could hear heavy breathing. Gripping her wand like a vice she threw the door open and pointed her wand towards a very disheveled looking Draco.

"Malfoy?" she blinked twice at the sight she was seeing. He looked like he'd fallen down a flight of stairs and then had blood taken from him. She didn't say it out loud but it was hard not to pity him in this sort of state.

"Sod off." He glared at her; the threat however was empty to her. One look at him and she knew he needed help of some sort.

"What happened?" she questioned softly, taking a few hesitant steps towards where he was sitting against the bathroom counters. He watched her with a sneer on his face; she was bound to ask a bunch of nosy questions he didn't want to answer. That or try to milk him for information to pass on to Potter.

"Are you okay?" she asked him gingerly, concern ringing from her voice.

"Like you care." He replied bitterly and she eyed him in annoyance

"What makes you think I wouldn't?" she quirked an eyebrow questioningly at him as she knelt down beside him. This time he didn't budge away, he just kept his eyes trained on the white bathroom tiles.

"Leave me alone." He almost sounded as though he were pleading with her

"Not until you tell me what happened." She replied stubbornly then noticed what he was hiding, his right arm. Before he could react she snatched it within her hand and gave him a fearful look "Draco…" she muttered in her softest voice and he snatched his arm back from her harshly.

"I said sod off!" his voice raised though his eyes widened with horror that someone had found out what he had done. On his wrist, over his Dark Mark were singes and burns running down his arm in a spiral fashion. Hermione saw an empty potion vial lying in the corner of the bathroom.

"Acid. You tried to burn it off didn't you?" she looked him the eyes though he refused to look up at her. Her earthly brown orbs could not connect with his secretive grey ones.

"It's none of your business!" he spat

"You're hurting yourself, prat or not you don't deserve this pain." Her hand returned to his wrist and her fingers brushed over the scar and he flinched. The skin was still bright red and tender where the acid had fallen though the mark was still clearly visible.

"I don't want it anymore." He said suddenly, his voice drenched in the pain he'd been holding in for so long.

"I understand." She said and he shook his head and finally met her eyes.

"No you don't, you couldn't." he stated his old façade fading away at the compassion she was showing him now. He didn't want to tell her anything about his pain – he liked things kept private – but he somehow felt like it was okay to let her know.

"Then help me to." She offered

"It's not for you to worry about."

"Of course it is! If someone's hurting himself or herself then of course I'm going to worry!" she answered him snappily then reached for her wand then gave him a small smile "besides you gave me that book, it's the least I could do." She added, thinking of the small, but kind gesture it had been to wake up to the book. Draco watched her as she flicked her wand, muttered a few words and his wound seemed to disappear before their eyes.

"It'll sting for a bit, but you won't have any scarring." She told him, feeling like she was some sort of school nurse.

"Oh." He whispered and stared at his wrist as Hermione got up and brushed off her skirt.

"It's very interesting." She said out of the blue, after a good five minutes of silence. He looked up in confusion when he saw she was smiling ever so slightly.

"What is?" he asked, finding his rude demeanor was already returning.

"The book you lent me, especially the part on _The Wendigo Man_, it's fascinating isn't it? A wizard convinced he was a Wendigo then turning savage and eating another man's leg clean off! Honestly, the things that happen to some people!" she went on then noticed his blank look and stopped talking.

"What?" she questioned, slipping her wand back into her pocket.

"You really are a nerd you know that?" he said, but the slight hint of amusement in his voice stopped Hermione from snapping at him.

"It's been brought to my attention," she rolled her eyes "like you're any better? You've got the second top grades next to me anyway!" she reminded him and he got up and walked to his room

"'Night." He said casually and stumbled into his room and collapsed on the bed staring at his wrist while wondering why on earth she'd done that for him.

"Good night." Hermione replied though he couldn't have heard her. She returned to her room, hoping that she could find some way to help him through the distress he must be feeling over the Dark Mark. She wondered if they could disregard their spotty past and try to get along. She doubted it, but a bigger part of her yearned to end his suffering. She knew she wanted to help him through it, the problem was – would he let her?

**Remember to review! Also if anyone had any questions I will try to PM you and tell you what I can without giving anything too big away. **

**tate4eva – **Yes Blaise is awesome!

**AranelLalaith – **I'm flattered that you think I'm a good author, thank you very much! I wont say who'll end up with whom but I will say that both Ginny and Pansy will have fairly large roles.

**RoryAceHayden47 – **why Slytherin? All will be revealed in good time! I promise you I do have the next few chapters all planned out.

**Naturally Potter – **Thanks for the feedback! Yes grammar is one of my weak points, but I will, at some stage, go through each chapter and edit like mad.

**Barn – **he won't show up much in the movies (he has one or two lines but you hardly see him, I'll send you some links to fics with him in it)

**XLove-Hate-RelationshipX – **I wonder who did come up with the looked room idea first? They must be rich by now! Oh yeah, cliché's are my best friend (no offence to my actual best friends!)


	6. Mood Applicable Lollipop's

**Thanks for all the support so early on! I hope this chapter is to your liking and make sure your review! Oh and Draco and Hermione aren't just going to jump up and fall in love, there'll be build up. Enjoy. **

"Oh and did you see this morning when…" A group of Hufflepuff's stopped talking as soon as Hermione came within three meters or them. It was official, there was no good side to being in Slytherin, and she was going to get to the bottom of this mix up. While thinking of ideas she ran into Pansy Parkinson who was walking alone, head down and her footsteps were loud and wonky. A small part of Hermione was worried that maybe something bad happened, but a bigger part reminded Hermione it was probably a joke.

"Hermione!" Ginny called from the seats in the outside courtyard. Hermione sighed in relief and walked over to greet her friend.

"I got your message, what's the matter?" Hermione asked then Ginny grimaced.

"You haven't heard from Harry have you? Or Ron?" she questioned quickly.

"Not recently… why? Did you hear something?" Hermione's eyes flashed with worry.

"No, nothing! And Harry's been owling me non-stop before now! Hermione something bad must've happened!" she was standing up now, waving her arms frantically.

"Ginny, really, they said they may not be able to contact us for a few days, they've found a new lead so they need to concentrate." Hermione said, if not just to convince herself.

"Oh. I hope you're right then…" Ginny bit her lip.

"You're really worried about him aren't you?"

"Hermione, he's my brother." Ginny stated with a pointed look.

"I meant Harry."

"Oh, well, him too I guess." Ginny went a very light pink but then shook it off and changed the subject, "are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" she asked curiously.

"Maybe… I was going to do some studying…" Hermione deliberated for a minute

"Oh _please!_ Hermione we haven't been talking all week, at least say you'll come to the village!" Ginny complained, her statement making Hermione feel insanely guilty.

"I guess one day off couldn't hurt…" Hermione sighed

"That's the spirit! Speaking of which we have classes soon, I should probably go do my Divination homework…" Ginny said grumpily then ran off towards her common room. Hermione sighed again and reached into her bag and pulled out her _Magic History: For the advanced Witch or Wizard _and began flipping through. The text was boring to say the least, it was all things she'd read before and the pictures were not accurate enough to hold her attention. She slammed the book and put it back into her bag and then pulled out the book Draco had given to her. She was almost finished and it was rather fascinating.

"Hello." An unfamiliar voice from behind her nearly made her jump off her seat. She flipped her head around to see who had scared her so readily; it was someone she'd never met before.

"Can I help you?" she asked, taking a few breaths to calm down.

"Maybe." The boy grinned a cute, impish grin.

"Did you want to sit here?" Hermione asked patiently, unaware that there were only a few other people in the courtyard besides the two of them.

"Maybe." He said again, looking at her as if she was on display in a shop window.

"Stop saying maybe. Do you have a name?" Hermione questioned and he grinned again

"Blaise." He replied coolly then swung a leg over the long wooden seat Hermione was sitting and smiled sweetly at her.

"I'm –

"You're Hermione Granger, did you get my letter?" he asked innocently

"What letter?" she replied blankly then remembered her mystery notes from the unknown person 'B'.

"You didn't figure it out?" he seemed confused now

"Well no, I've never met you." Hermione pointed out meekly.

"Fair enough, well anyway, how are you finding Slytherin?" he asked casually, as if he were just asking about the weather.

"Insufferable." Hermione replied bitterly, to her surprise Blaise laughed.

"Well at least you've lasted longer than most people thought you would." He was still looking at her with a smile on his lips. Hermione was a little unsettled that he was so casually talking to her when she didn't know the first thing about him.

"You'd be referring to the bet Pansy and Draco are made?" Hermione asked, suddenly interested in knowing what exactly the bet had been.

"Pansy and Draco? I'm talking about half of Hogwarts," Blaise stated, wide eyed "see Slytherin reckons you'll run crying back to Gryffindor once you've had enough but some people think you'll end up replacing Pansy." Blaise explained in a friendly tone.

"Replacing? What do you mean by that?" Hermione was slightly offended that she was being compared to such a stuck up girl like Pansy.

"You'll be the new Slytherin princess, you're already Head Girl after all." Blaise looked at her appraisingly, Hermione crossed her arms sourly.

"That's not my objective I'll have you know!" she glared at him, she didn't want to be in Slytherin, let alone be famous in Slytherin.

"Then what is?" he asked rather suggestively.

"To finish my year in peace!" she bellowed then stuffed her book in her bag, sending one final glare at Blaise "now if you'll excuse me, I have classes to attend to." She stormed away with her bad swinging from her shoulder.

"Strange, strange girl…" Blaise laughed as he watched he stomp away back into the castle.

---

After hours of sitting through classes and being ignored and sitting in the Great Hall being laughed at, Hermione was worn out. She sat alone in the common room of the Head's room with her study timetable set out in front of her. She glared at it, she was far too upset to study but it felt like the timetable was mocking her – just like the rest of Slytherin surely was right now. Shaking her head she pulled out Draco's book and opened to where she had last been reading. Every few paragraphs her mind would wander to things like where Harry and Ron were, when she would see them again and if she could have time of Hogwarts to go see them. She doubted it, her parents would want her home in the holidays and they were in no mood to be asked about her taking time off school. They still hadn't spoken since the train, nor had they tried to contact her. It was then that Hermione thought something was odd, usually her mother wrote her and asked how things were on her first week. Had something happened? Were they still angry with her? Would they even want her back in the Holidays? While she was lost in her frantic thoughts she didn't notice Draco walk down his stairs into the room. She stared at the wall while he looked at her in an annoyed way.

"Granger?" he asked, like he'd been calling her name for a while, even though he hadn't. Hermione kept staring at the empty spot on the wall in front of her, just above the warm fireplace, oblivious to Draco's calls.

"Granger!" he tried again, taking a few steps forward but still getting no response.

"GRANGER!" he yelled angrily and she jumped and looked up at him innocently.

"Draco, there's no need to yell, I'm right here." She said then looked up at the clock on the wall, no doubt enchanted somehow since it had seven different hands on it instead of two.

"Well you weren't listening!" he growled defensively.

"Do you want something?" she asked quickly, slightly annoyed that she'd been so rudely pulled away from her thoughts.

"Do we have Head duties tonight?" he asked with an impatient glance at Hermione then his eyes flickered away again.

"No." she shook her head then looked around the room awkwardly "is that all? I have some reading to do." She said holding up the cover of the book with a sheepish grin.

"Do you mind if I do some work out here? It's raining and I can't concentrate up there." Draco said revealing a few rolls of parchment and two quills, one red and one black.

"Why would I mind?" she questioned and then returned to her book. Draco too absorbed himself in the essay he was writing and they both sat in comfortable silence. Draco was sitting on the edge of the well-cushioned white couch while Hermione was snuggled up in the huge red armchair that almost felt like she was falling asleep in it.

"Granger?" Draco said, snapping Hermione out of her thoughts and the sleep she was almost falling into.

"Hm?" she asked groggily

"You haven't… told anyone have you?" he placed his quill down on the table carefully and spoke as though he were stepping on eggshells.

"About yesterday?" she replied, putting the book down and giving her full attention to the very awkward looking Draco on the couch beside her.

"Yeah? You haven't said anything, to _anyone_ not even Potty and Weasel right?" he eyed her carefully and she shook her head.

"No I haven't." she replied

"Good, keep it that way." He said, his awkwardness switching to his age-old anger.

"Don't get me wrong Draco, you really should talk to someone about it, but it's private so it's not my place to tell."

"No, it's really not is Mudblood." He spat.

"Prat." She replied easily

"I am not!" he replied, surprised that she would even dare insult him back.

"Oh you know you are too." She rolled her eyes.

"Don't call me stupid things like you know who I am!" he warned.

"Then stop calling me Mudblood!" she slammed the book shut and threw in onto the table "I'm done." She replied; though her words held double meaning that Draco didn't quite catch onto. She gave Draco her meanest glare then ran angrily up to her room and slammed the door as loud as humanly possible.

---

When she woke up the next morning to her incredibly loud alarm she was still in the same horrid mood as she was last night. She changed into her robes and stomped into the bathroom to do her hair. Once she was inside she pulled a hair tie out of her drawers, which she'd managed to get on the opposite side of the room from Draco's. After a lot of persistence and the use of a few hair-care charms her hair was successfully in a neat ponytail atop her head. While fixing her dress shirt collar she noticed a note pinned to her bathroom door through the reflection of the mirror. She recognized the handwriting from five meters away. She took the pin out and placed it on the counter and read the short note.

_Meet me behind Honeydukes. I need to talk to you._

_DM _

She sighed and placed the note on the counter next to the pin and left the bathroom. She slipped on her school shoes and made her way down to the departure for Hogsmeade.

---

"Since this is your last year, or your second last year if your in sixth year, at Hogwarts we trust you enough to be in Hogsmeade without teacher supervision, however the Head's will report back to me if any signs of trouble should occur." McGonagall looked down at Draco and Hermione who were standing on either sides of the group. Not because McGonagall had asked them too but because they refused to maintain eye contact all morning throughout breakfast.

"You will have a total of four trips, I would suggest you make the most of them." She finished and nodded them all to begin their walk towards the village. Hermione walked with Luna, Ginny and Neville who were excitedly filling her in on how there classes were this year. However they refused to share any news about Gryffindor, it was clear now that they would be sharing information with someone on the enemy's side.

---

"Luna! You've got to try these new Mint-Chocolate Frogs! They're delicious!" Ginny exclaimed and started filling up her basket with several small boxes of them. Hermione on the other had already been to the Chocolate Frogs and gotten her supply, now she was looking at a new candy called _Mood Applicable Lollipops. _Curiously she picked one up and watched as she touched it, it turned into a light blue colour.

"Feeling nervous?" Blaise's now familiar voice joked from behind her. She turned around to see him reading off the sign in front of the lollipop shelves.

"Pardon?" she quirked an eyebrow and he turned the paper around and sure enough there was a list of all the flavour, colours and moods the lollipops reacted and changed to.

_Mood Applicable Lollipop's – You are what you eat! From Chompin' Charms ™ _

_Light Blue – Nervous (blueberry) _

_Dark Blue – Depressed (blackberry)_

_Black – Angry (licorice)_

_Yellow – Happy (lemonade)_

_Orange – Creative (orange)_

_Red – Excited (strawberry) _

_Green – Jealous (apple)_

_Pink – In Love (fairy floss)_

"It's amazing the things they come up with isn't it?" Blaise said picking one up, as it turned yellow and he grinned at Hermione.

"Well they are amongst the leading wizarding manufacturers this year so it's no surprise that they're new products are a hit here, after all students always get excited over new candy no matter how odd it may be." Hermione replied with a bored sigh.

"I wasn't after a history lesson." Blaise laughed awkwardly

"Then what were you after?" Hermione asked, quickly putting her light blue lollipop back in its holder, still secured in its wrapper. She took down two boxes and put them in her already full basket, she walked over to the line leading to the spot at the front of the store where students paid for their purchases.

"Just thought you could do with a bit of company is all!" Blaise hummed and Hermione looked around the store suspiciously.

"If Pansy put you up to this, you might as well leave now, I'm in no mood for childish games right now." Hermione warned him, thinking about her meeting with Draco – what if he was bored of waiting for her? She was beyond curious as to what he could possibly need to talk about.

"Well if it makes you feel better I'm here of my own accord." He bowed to her mockingly and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Fine." Hermione tapped her foot as the line moved forward a few steps.

"And Pansy's not as bad as she seems you know," he said, then off Hermione's look her decided to pledge his case "she acts that way to keep up airs, she's really just terribly misunderstood, parents and whatnot, you know how it is." He stated as if it were common for everyone at have messed up parents.

"It's not an excuse though." Hermione pointed out

"Guess not, but it's a fairly good reason for most people." She shrugged then turned as someone tapped her on the back. It was Luna and she was holding a letter in one hand and a light brown owl was perched upon her shoulder.

"A letter just arrived for you," Luna alerted and handed over the envelope "be careful though, there's a Gnorsnak attached." Luna nodded slowly then walked away, the owl still safely gripping her shoulder. Hermione tucked the letter into her robes and paid for her items. There was no address or reply address on the envelope so it was safe to assume it wasn't anything urgent. She decided she'd open it later; right now she needed to go and meet with Malfoy.

---

When she managed to make Blaise leave her alone and slip around the back of Honeydukes without being noticed she already had only half an hour before they all had to return to Hogwarts for the night. She found him sitting up in a tree, on the lowest, but thickest branch of the tree, just staring off into the distance. He also had a book and a roll of parchment on his lap, though he seemed to have forgotten about them.

"Hi." Hermione greeted him with a timid wave.

"Hey." He replied emotionlessly, Hermione deliberated for a moment before she carefully began climbing up the tree to sit with him. Her foot slipped though and she felt her knee graze the trunk of the tree, but Draco caught her arm before she could fall.

"Thanks." Hermione breathed once was safely sitting next to him, both their legs hanging lazily off the branch. Draco shrugged and glanced down at his nearly finished essay and began scrawling down his paragraph. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd asked her to come here today, somewhere in the back of his head though he remembered. He was going to apologize, though that notion had gotten lost when he'd spaced out before.

"Yesterday night…" he began and she glanced patiently at him, feeling somewhat frightened at being so high up. How she longed to have both her feet firmly planted back on the dusty ground.

"Yesterday night, I called you a Mudblood again." He recalled and she looked away remembering why she'd been so annoyed this morning.

"It's not like you haven't done that before." She reminded him bitterly.

"Yeah but this time I didn't mean to," He corrected her and she looked back at him, seeing the struggle in his eyes "I know you wouldn't tell anybody… I know that… but…" no matter how hard he searched he just couldn't find the right words.

"You don't have to force yourself, I understand what you're trying to say… and I accept." She smiled warmly at him and he looked at her in confusion.

"Accept?" he prompted her

"Your apology." She explained

"Oh." He said, meeting her kind eyes for a moment then turning away "well, good then." He nodded and went back to writing, Hermione looked over his shoulder as he wrote each word neatly and quickly.

"You spelled that wrong, the 'e' goes after the 'l' not before it." She pointed at his parchment and he rolled his eyes at her.

"Did I asked for help?" he asked sarcastically

"Do you want to fail?" she retorted then continued helping him with the essay. After a while she'd helped point out every little error she could spot and he'd put his parchment out of her view.

"We have to gather everyone now." Draco stated hearing a bell sound in the distance and then watched rather impatiently as Hermione carefully climbed down the tree again. He was surprised when she took a huge sigh of relief when her feet hit the ground. Surely the golden trio's heroin wasn't afraid of heights?

"See you later then?" Hermione checked that this weird, but friendly encounter hadn't just been a once-in-a-Muggle-blue-moon thing.

"I guess." Draco replied and they set off in opposite direction with their belonging to get the rest of the students and get back to Hogwarts.

**I'm going to put a random disclaimer at the end here – I don't own, I am not J.K Rowling and if I were I would own an island somewhere with Irish dancing panda's who would serve me margaritas. Because you know, what else would you do with that much money? If anyone would like to help me think of things to do with that much money I encourage you to! I'd love to hear some random ideas! Review! Review and let me know how you liked this chapter! **

**P.S – don't worry about the metaphor Panda's though, they have the good life, and they live like Panda kings! **


	7. The Gryffindor That Was

**And we're back! I'm hoping my Australian to British inner translator isn't too sloppy; I tried hard to avoid any 'g-days' or anything of that nature.**

**Disclaimer – I am not J.K and I don't own. But one day, if I play my cards right… what's that? It'll never happen? Huh… oh well, on with the story!**

"You will write no less than 2000 words, any less than that and detention is yours I assure you of that." Snape smiled down at the class, a smile that frightened more than half of the room.

"That won't be too hard for the Mudblood bookworm." Pansy snapped from the desk behind Hermione's of which she, Draco and Nott were all seated. Hermione rolled her eyes and continued ignoring the jibes being thrown at her.

"Watch your tongue, Parkinson." One of the Gryffindor's who hadn't turned against Hermione hissed from the other side of the room. A few other Gryffindor's nodded then Ginny motioned for Hermione to join her. Hermione looked up at Snape who was watching the class grab out parchment and quills. Just as Hermione worked up the courage to cross the room she heard a pile of books slam down on the desk next to her.

"Sorry I'm late sir." Blaise scratched his head calmly and Snape dismissed the issue with a bored wave of his hand.

"Hello." Blaise smiled pleasantly at Hermione who was eyeing him dangerously.

"Are you planning these things?" she questioned without thinking twice.

"What things?" Blaise widened his eyes innocently.

"Never mind!" Hermione sighed then mouthed 'sorry' to Ginny. She knew there was no way she would be able to sit with the Gryffindor's when such a nosy Slytherin was watching her so intently. Sighing, Hermione began writing out her potions essay about everything she knew about the truth serum. Humorous, but relevant images of blue haired Pansy and Draco's popped up in her mind. She stifled a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Blaise leaned over to her side of the desk.

"None of your concern." She glared at him, though amusement was still clear in her brown eyes. Blaise shrugged, completely unaffected by her obvious annoyance as they both returned to their essays. Finally the lesson came to an end and Hermione packed up her bag and made her way towards the dungeon doors. However she tripped over a rather large foot on the way, causing her things to scatter across the room while she lay face down on the dungeon floor.

"Bloody cow!" Ginny yelled as Hermione looked up to see Pansy laughing hysterically on Nott's shoulder, Draco rolled his eyes desperately trying not to get involved in the situation. The Slytherins walked away in their usual close knit herd and Ginny and Neville graciously helped Hermione gather her things.

"Truthfully, I don't know how you can stand them Hermione." Neville said, shy as he was, like any Gryffindor, if a Slytherin was nearby they got annoyed.

"Want to hex them? I can hex them!" Ginny said, suddenly filled with furious determination.

"Are you alright?" Neville asked, ignoring Ginny for the time being and focusing on the rather pale looking Hermione who looked up at him with an obviously forced smile.

"I'm fine." She smiled, though her lips quivered ever so slightly.

"Are you sure?" Ginny said much calmer now she had vented.

"I said I'm fine!" Hermione snapped at them and flew out of the room, making a beeline for the Head's tower. On her way she passed by Pansy and Nott who pointed and laughed as she ran quietly past them without so much as a glare.

"Run, Mudblood, Run!" Nott said rudely and Draco scoffed at Nott's pitiful insult and began walking the halls casually, though he knew exactly where he intended to go.

"Where are you going Draco?" Pansy whined and Draco turned his head so she could see half of his profile.

"Back to _my_ dorm you brainless twig." He replied quickly, with his usual Malfoy drawl and left Pansy standing wide eyed with her mouth gaping open like a fish out of water.

---

Hermione couldn't help herself, sometimes a girl just needed to cry. The Head's painting (a bear) looked down on her with what seemed like curious eyes, though it made no enquiries as to what was wrong.

"Brown." Hermione sniffed and the bear opened without its usual ear splitting roar and let Hermione take her time walking into the common room. The fire lit itself as soon as she entered the room and she slumped down on the couch wiping away at the tears as they continued to fall. After a few minutes of uneven breathing she reached for her bag with shaking fingers, she was slightly sweaty from the emotional stress but she easily ignored it. Inside the front pocket of the bag was the letter she'd received a few days ago that had no return address, nor any hints as to who had sent it. She'd automatically assumed it wasn't from Harry and Ron since the owl would have waited at her window like it usually did. She tore open the envelope and tossed aside the shredded parts of the envelope, intending to pick them up later.

_Dear Hermione,_

_We understand you wanted to go with your friends for your quest, but you know that studies come first. That you were willing to drop your last, most important year at Hogwarts just proves what a bad influence those two have been on you. Please know that your father and I just want the best for you and we don't want to see you get hurt. If you would show a bit of maturity and remember your priorities then we wouldn't be using this silly mailing system just to check in on you. You've been acting quite childishly; not saying goodbye at the train and not letting us know you'd arrived safely. I'm very disappointed in you. I hope your studies are going well and I'm sure your teachers will be giving you the highest marks they can for your Newts (that is what you called them wasn't it?) _

_Love always, your mother _

_P.S – your fathers found a wonderful university that suits you very well. We'll send you a pamphlet and some information. _

After reading the note she scrunched up the letter and tossed it into the fire, which in turn consumed the flames hungrily. A whole new army of tears dripped down her cheeks as she mulled over the discouraging words from her mother. _Bad influence… on you… a bit of maturity… childish… I'm disappointed in you… _Hermione let out a sob that almost sounded as though she was having trouble breathing when the portrait swung open. She quickly grabbed the sleeve of her robes and wiped away at the tears, thought the tear tracks were proof enough that she'd been hurt. Draco approached the couch, clearly trying to hide the fact he was concerned about Hermione.

"You know, Pansy's in the common room bragging right now." He said suddenly and Hermione shrugged keeping her eyes trained on the flames flickering before them. Malfoy sighed and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch to Hermione.

"Crying like this will just give her more ammo." He explained and Hermione let out a bemused laugh.

"Yes, because I really care what Pansy Parkinson thinks of me." Hermione replied her voice was rough, like sandpaper.

"Obviously you do or you wouldn't have made such a scene." Draco replied, trying not to sound as though he were trying to make her feel worse.

"Do you want something Malfoy?" she asked finally looked up at him, her eyes were bloodshot and her neck was constricted. Malfoy averted his eyes from her, the more her looked the more he felt obliged to say something to make her feel better. And Malfoy's were not people who would stoop so low as to do that.

"What's the matter, Granger?" he sighed

"It's nothing, just go away." She sniffed and he shook his head.

"I'm asking you a question, answer me." He demanded and she snapped her head in his direction and glared at him like she was trying to make his head explode.

"So just because you ask me a question means I have to answer? Just because your part of the Slytherin core I have to answer to you? I'm not your bloody punching bag!" she screeched gripping tightly at the hem of her skirt.

"Hence the fact I'm not punching you." Draco replied as Hermione let out an angered snort.

"The bet was to see if I would last correct?" she said as the two made eye contact.

"Basically yeah." He nodded cautiously, unsure of where she was taking the conversation now.

"Well Pansy's going to be delighted then." Hermione stated and Draco raised his eyebrows at her in mock amusement.

"You're giving up?" he questioned and she nodded "Uh-huh."

"What?" Hermione snapped

"Lets say that Potty and Weasel were here right now, would you still be backing out?" he asked and she crossed her arms.

"Of course… I'd go back to Gryffindor with them… and use their names please." She replied wondering why he'd asked such a question.

"Right, so you're letting Pansy win the bet because you think it would easier on Gryffindor's side?" he looked at her questioningly

"Not easier, but safer yes." Hermione knew it was clear that being amongst the enemy was in no way comforting to her.

"It's odd, I would have thought all that Gryffindor courage would have gotten you through this type of ordeal," Draco drawled, purposely pushing her buttons "You haven't even lasted two weeks yet." He scoffed and Hermione stood up, placing her hands on her hips.

"Then I'll last two weeks, I'll last two months!" she said, suddenly full of newfound determination "I swear that I'll turn Slytherin around, I'll put Pansy in her place." Hermione declared much to the amusement of Draco.

"Granger?" he asked again after a few moments silent when Hermione had once again sat back down.

"Yes, Draco?" she asked, much calmer than she had been ten minutes ago, she'd almost forgotten the events that had happened earlier.

"You haven't answered my original question," he reminded her "what's the matter?" he asked again, this time much more casually.

"Um," Hermione thought for a moment then realized she felt genuinely okay… which was odd since just minutes ago she'd been dead set on leaving Slytherin even if that meant losing her Head Girl position "Nothing," she stated and then turned her surprised gaze onto him who looked at her with an expression she couldn't quite place "nothing's wrong." She finished with a small grateful smile.

---

Ginny wandered the halls after lunch, finding she really couldn't be bothered attending Defense Against the Dark Arts today. As she passed by the girl's bathroom she overheard some gossipers. Being a curious girl by nature she stopped by the door and listened carefully.

"Did you hear? My father owled me about it this morning!" one of them said, Ginny could only guess that they were probably Slytherins.

"My mother told me last week, it's so obvious though, why else would they accept a Mudblood?" another whispered back.

"But do you really think its true?" Ginny couldn't stand listening to a conversation as shallow as this, but they were talking about Hermione now and she needed to know exactly what was going on.

"Well they're letting in some pretty young ones now aren't they?" a husky voiced girl pointed out as the others murdered in agreements.

"They let Draco in too." Ginny was confused now, what did Draco have to do with Hermione, they hated each other.

"Because he's a _Malfoy_, they'd be bonkers not to let him in, and Mudblood's the smartest witch at Hogwarts and everyone knows it!"

"Really they might as well be letting Hufflepuff's be Death eaters then!" the group of them laughed and cackled at the remark.

"Who do you think'll do it?" one asked and a silence followed.

"It wouldn't be the Dark Lord himself, he would never touch the skin of a Mudblood… but do you know what I heard?" Ginny listened like she'd never heard people talk before.

"I heard they were going to get Malfoy to do it." Ginny almost gasped.

"Why? Last time they asked him to do something… well you know." Ginny wanted nothing more than to hex the nose off the girl who had said that. Harry had told her privately that Draco had tried to kill Dumbledore but couldn't.

"Yeah but it's not like he'll be killing Granger is it?"

"It's just a tattoo…"

"Personally I hope she doesn't get admitted in, I don't care how bloody powerful she is, she's not of pureblood!" one huffed.

"Oh come on, you're just jealous that you can't produce a potronus!"

"I am not! Besides what's so great about a stupid otter?" she laughed and then Ginny heard footsteps form behind her and recognized the angry mutterings of Filch. Quickly picking up her feet she sprinted towards the Gryffindor common room. Ginny needed to find a way to help out Hermione. Not best friend of hers was going to become a Death eater, not if she had anything to say about it.

And boy did she have something to say about it.

**I know this chapter was a little short, but that's okay because the next ones longer. I hope you liked it and please review! **

**By the way I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year so if anyone else has done it before or is doing it for the first time (like me) PM me, I'd love to chat about how you guys prepare or what your going to write about. I'm very excited for November! **


	8. Much Needed Fun

**New chapter, I wrote this as quickly as I could so I hope it's up to scratch! I don't have much to say except for I have planned out this story up till about chapter 15. Oh and I don't own, but I think you guys should get that by now. **

_Dear Hermione, _

_We destroyed a you-know-what. It's hard work and all but we're hanging in there. How's school? N.E. started yet? Ron's been a right git lately though it's probably because sleeping is becoming a rarity. We take shifts just in case but it's a lot tougher than I thought it would be. How's Ginny? Has she gotten my letter yet? Also is Slytherin getting any better? Because I'd be happy to get McGonagall to move you back. _

_From Harry_

_P.S – do you mind sending some chocolate back with your next letter? _

Hermione snorted. It was now the third week back at school and she was greatly relieved to hear from Harry again, even Ron attached his own letter.

_Hermione, _

_Harry's being a bossy git. I'm really tired as well; do you know any security charms you can write down for us? Neither of us knows anything that works properly against everything. Send some food, I haven't eaten anything decent in weeks. _

_Cheers, _

_Ron. _

With a sudden burst of enthusiasm she whipped out her new quill and began writing her replies and gave them back to the peculiar black and white owl they were now using. It seemed that they needed to switch owls on a regular basis otherwise unwanted observers might get curious. As the owl flew out the window her stomach growled like some sort of animal so she decided she'd better get ready for her day. She grabbed her towel from where it hung off the door and opened her bathroom door, still in her pale pink pajamas. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight she saw next.

"Draco?" she muttered before running to his side, he was bent over the sink with his face ashen with sweat and if possible he was even paler now. He'd been sick.

"Draco, what's wrong?" she asked, quickly pulling out a fresh face cloth and wetting it in her own sink, Draco shook his head at her.

"Out, Granger." He said, though his voice was thick and heavy.

"No." she replied sharply "what happened to you?" she asked, eyeing him down suspiciously but loosened her glare when she saw the vulnerability in his eyes. He took a moment to think over things then looked back up at her with an exaggerated sniff.

"Draco?" she asked again, this time her voice was gentler. He sighed and reached into his robes and then pulled out a sheet of parchment and handed it over to Hermione. She took it and read it over with calculating eyes. When she had finished she too looked like she could've been sick about it, but for an entirely different reason. She reached out a took his chin and began dabbing away with face washer to rid his face of the sweat.

"What are you doing?" he asked after a few moments as she wiped away a damp spot on his forehead. He examined her carefully, her cheeks were pink but not in embarrassed sort of way – it was the look she got whenever someone brought up house elves.

"Fixing you up." She stated but he then noticed something glimmer.

"Granger, why are you crying?" he questioned, slightly uncomfortable now.

"I'm not." She said, though it was clear she was trying very hard not to.

"You are." He persisted and she stopped wiping his face.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"_Am not."_

"Are too."

"Draco Malfoy, just shut up!" she ordered giving him her most dangerous glare.

"Why are you crying?" he asked again and this time she allowed her tears to fall. However they were angry tears, and her expression got that message across just fine on its own.

"Because he has no right to say those things to you, his own son!" she began, already at full volume "and I don't care if he has contacts at the ministry, how in the name of Merlin did he get freed from Azkaban!" she shrieked.

"He's got more influence than you think." Draco replied and she shook her head furiously.

"That's not good enough for me." She said, stamping her foot down on the tiles. Then out of nowhere Draco broke out into laughter – a very uncharacteristic thing for him to, leaving Hermione completely dumbfounded.

"Er…" she couldn't think of what could possibly be so funny about the letter from Lucius Malfoy.

"You look so ridiculous!" he said in between laughs "standing there crying in those bloody night clothes!" he was now laughing so hard that all the colour had returned to his face – including a jolly pink tint to his cheek from laughing so suddenly. Hermione swiped him over the back of the head though it only made him laugh harder.

"Shut it you!" she warned, though she had a grin spreading evenly across her face now too "now get out, I need to wash up." She said placing her hands on his back and pushing him back out his bathroom door then locking it.

"Nice look though Granger!" he called, obviously he couldn't help himself as he headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"I said shut it!" Hermione called back, a small laugh escaping her lips. Without her even noticing it she'd actually just gotten along with Draco Malfoy.

---

After Charms that evening Hermione snuck away from the rest of the crowd that was heading down for dinner. Hoping with all her heart that Filch wasn't creeping about the halls as well she went straight for McGonagall's office. While standing in front of the eagle statue she couldn't help but feel the painful reminder that Dumbledore was no longer up that moving spiral staircase, nor would he ever be again.

"_Black Cat."_ She whispered and jumped onto the stairs as they began moving up towards the office. She'd been lucky to overhear Hagrid's overly loud voice saying the password on her way back from Charms last week. She'd been waiting for the right moment all week long and she wasn't about to let it escape her. The office was different now; it was still covered in paintings of old professors and headmasters but the other decorations were definitely not Dumbledore's anymore.

"Curious, lost little girl." A familiar voice spoke to the left of Hermione. She walked quickly over to the cupboard and looked carefully for the source of the voice. Sure enough the sorting hat was sitting on the top shelf, its fabric was folded into a smart sort of knowing smile. Hermione loathed that hat.

"You sorted me wrong." She accused, her eyes narrowed at the enchanted piece of headwear.

"Indeed, which is why you're now in Slytherins house."

"No, I was meant to be in Gryffindor." She corrected the hat, she felt more at home at the Gryffindor table than at Slytherins exclusive 'purebloods' only table.

"Oh yes, everyone's meant to be somewhere." It mused, "However things which are meant to be are being overwritten, all things change young Slytherin."

"Yes good then change me back." She insisted, quickly disregarding the fact that she had made quite a show to Malfoy about being able to hack it in Slytherin.

"You wish to erase all the good you've done?" it raised its material eyebrow at her.

"Good I've done? I haven't done anything, I don't speak to any of the other Slytherins!" she pointed out to the hat, and then remembered that she did indeed speak to one Slytherin on a daily basis.

"Hmm." It almost sounded sarcastic when it hummed like that "when you pull one string from a ball of different coloured wools, do you not pull them all?" it questioned though it puzzled Hermione.

"Well of course, if the string is a large part of the circle then the other colours will surely fall too I guess." She mused then realized what it was talking about.

"Clever, cunning girl." The hat nodded and suddenly Hermione forgot all about her original mission in sneaking up to the office.

"Oh!" she slapped her forehead "since Malfoy's such a central person in Slytherin if I'm affecting him then in the long run I'm also affecting the others!" Hermione finally got it, if someone had that much influence then of course others felt the subtle changes Hermione was bringing about to Slytherin (whether by her own accord or not). Though her intentions in talking to Malfoy really had nothing to do with Slytherin, she just couldn't stand the things his father had done to him. She'd taken it upon herself to get angry for him since he was obviously having trouble knowing to act now that Lucius was out of the best wizarding prison in the world. Pulling Hermione from her thoughts at that moment was a sharp, rough gasp of pain echoing from the hat. She looked up carefully and saw that it's eyes were now scrunched up and the strangest red glow was visible from it mouth as it gasped. The gasp however was what scared Hermione; it was the sickly sound that only Dementor's could make.

"Er…" Hermione didn't know if she should call for help, let alone if anyone would hear her from all the way down there. Suddenly the hat was engulfed in bright blue and red flames and within seconds was gone, giving Hermione barely any time to react. Quickly retreating from the cupboard she ran as fast as her legs would allow her back to the Great Hall – where she was safe from exploding hats.

---

Ginny Weasley was too bewildered to eat right now. Not only was Hermione seeming more and more comfortable in Slytherin (no longer was anyone bothering her except for Pansy and her followers) but also she might even become a Death Eater in the future. She swiped her plate clean when Luna came and sat in between her and Neville.

"Hello, nice night isn't it?" Neville asked very quickly to Luna who turned and smiled at him.

"Don't worry it'll get better." She nodded then placed her bony hand atop his and Neville went the darkest shade of red that was only outdone by Ginny's hair.

"Oh. Okay." He muttered then removed his hand from hers so he could eat the rest of his dinner. A sudden commotion from the Slytherin table made all the other tables hush up quickly, even the teachers were watching cautiously as Pansy let out a howl of laughter.

"Okay, guys I've got one!" she proclaimed the jumped up on the table, quickly making sure that all the Gryffindor's were watching. At that point she suddenly made a face gesture as though she were a beaver then looked around with fake horror.

"Oh no! Where oh where are Potty and Weasel? Without them men folk won't speak to me! Is it because I'm a fil-thy Mud-blood?" she yelled and the cued off the Slytherins to now explode with laughter when Snape yelled from the table.

"Parkinson, don't make me take points away from my own house." He both warned and threatened her, and it worked very well since she was now beet red and her whole group was angry that she had almost lost them points.

"Do not forget that Miss Granger is now in Slytherin, she's already earned double the amount of points for Slytherin than Miss Parkinson has in all seven years at Hogwarts." He stated and as soon as he sat back down everyone commenced eating before Snape stopped being so eerily nice. After a good ten minutes of forced silence the doors flew open with a deafening _bang_ and Hermione Granger sprinted up towards the teachers table.

"How nice of you to join us Miss Granger." McGonagall said sternly, looking down at Hermione through her glasses.

"Professor! You have to come quickly, something dreadful has happened!" she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet, not from excitement but because she scared of whatever spell or curse that had been placed on it had been triggered when she was there with the hat.

"Dreadful? Miss Granger would you care to be more informative than that?" she said though it was clear she was concerned now.

"The sorting hat, it burst into flames, it's gone!" she exclaimed then McGonagall quickly walked around the table with Flitwick and Snape and gave a very condescending look at Hermione as though it were all her fault.

"Do you want me to come too?" she called at her retreating professors.

"I want you to go back to your tower young lady, that's what I want you to do." McGonagall snapped and Hermione walked, red faced down the Great Hall ignoring the suspicious glare from Ginny, the worried stare from Neville and whatever words Luna was mouthing at her. On her way past where Pansy and her gang were sitting they started making silly faces at her just to make her day that little bit worse.

---

Up in the tower Draco was picking at food he'd taken from the kitchens, he'd gotten a whole platter full of his favourite foods, but even that wasn't cheering him up today. The letter from his father had invoked a familiar fear inside of him; if it weren't for Hermione he didn't know what he'd be doing right about now. He noticed however tucked inside the arm of the couch was a letter; perhaps it was one of Hermione's? A small part of his brain told him to put it on the table since it obviously wasn't his to read, but he couldn't help himself. Old habits did die-hard after all. He opened it up and figured it was from her parents, the prose was polite but the words themselves were rather hurtful. It actually reminded him of the letter from his father, every second word seemed to be about how disappointing he was. Shaking his head at the thought of how parents tended to treat their kids he stalked up to his room. Once inside he noticed someone moving outside in the distance by the lake. It was Hermione.

_Isn't she supposed to be at dinner? _He thought to himself then by his better judgment deducted that something must be bugging her. In a very un-Malfoy-ish manner he pulled his robes back on and headed for the lake.

---

Hermione walked with one hand swinging free and the other clutching her growling stomach. Growing tired of walking she looked back and realized the castle was a good long distance away now not to mention she was hidden by a lot of trees anyway. Sighing she slumped down and slipped her shoes off. She quickly massaged the sore spots on them from being on her feet all day and then dipped them into the icy lake water, instantly soothing her.

"You missed dinner." A familiar voice said to the side of her making her jump.

"You really ought to make more noise when you walk." Hermione huffed looking up at Malfoy, one hand on her heart from the scare. A half smirk, half smile appeared on his face and he reached into his robes and pulled out a napkin.

"Here." He mumbled holding out the napkin, she took it with a moments hesitation.

"What is it?" she questioned as she opened it up and saw small bits of shredded beef and what smelled like lamb with mint on it. It smelled divine but it was confusing as to why Draco Malfoy was giving her such good food when he could've eaten it himself.

"It's quite clearly food Granger." He replied with a smug tone and Hermione rolled her eyes at him. She picked up some lamb and nibbled on it, once she'd tasted it she'd put the whole thing in her mouth without a second thought.

"What's the verdict?" he asked casually.

"It's bloody fantastic." She said with a mischievous grin then shoved another piece into her mouth, finding she was much hungrier than she'd expected.

"They don't even serve it at dinner anymore, they really should." He added, and then catching her look he sighed and added "I can't be bothered going to the Great Hall after classes, it's better to just relax."

"Agreed, come to think of it I hardly see you in the Great Hall anymore." Hermione realized and Draco just shrugged.

"Isn't it cold?" he switched the topic quickly. Hermione followed his gaze down to her feet and ankles, which she mindlessly trailed through the water.

"Nope, try it." She said but he shook his head "Why not?" she asked with a hint of dare in her voice.

"Because I'm not putting my feet in that dirty lake." He spoke as though he were royalty.

"Oh don't be a baby!" she teased and shot him a challenging look.

"Do not call me a baby!" he shot back.

"Then get over yourself, its just water Draco." She said then watched him calculate his options then he slowly untied his black school shoes.

"If I get frost bite I swear -" he rambled on as he worked on taking off his socks, Hermione watched with a look of victory on her face as he dangled a foot just centimeters away from the water.

"Oh go on then!" she hit him playfully across the back and he sent her an annoyed look.

"Don't rush me Granger." He complained then dipped his toes into the water finding it wasn't that bad at all, he nodded "It's alright." He concluded and Hermione laughed and flicked some water onto his bare skin, droplets hitting his rolled up pants.

"You got my clothes wet." He stated dangerously.

"Oh no, cant have that can we?" she laughed but stopped when Draco flicked up his foot, causing a fair amount of water to sprinkle all over her knees.

"Sorry, didn't see you there." He said with a few innocent blinks.

"Is that so?" she pursed her lips then before Malfoy could react (or defend himself) she leant over and scooped over water in her hands and it splashed all up his front and some drops hit his chin and neck.

"That's it." He declared then tackled her into the lake with an arm across her middle. Now they were both soaking wet from head to toe and Hermione was laughing so hard she was almost coughing.

"Oh no!" Hermione shrieked in between laughs and Draco looked in the opposite direction with an expression of fake horror

"You got the food wet!" he groaned, he'd really been looking forward to that mint seasoned lamb as well.

"Giant squid!" Hermione yelled and Draco got up quickly taking her hand in his as they ran away with huge grins on their faces. They collapsed onto a dry patch of grass as they sun showed its first signs of setting, both breathing heavily.

"Now I'm hungry and I'm soaked!" Hermione exhaled "At least there's the fireplace." She was suddenly grateful for such a small day-to-day fixture. Her hand slid out of Draco's so casually that only Draco really felt its absence now.

"Well what do you know? Draco Malfoy can have fun after all." She joked and he rolled his eyes at her.

"Come on then, let's get back, I need to dry off." He said and they began walking back to the castle when they heard the loud gossiping of Pansy and her friends. Draco cast her a look that said it all and they quickly sprinted away. Somewhere on their way back her hand had quietly made it back into his.

**And now the real Dramione fluff begins! Please remember to review! **

**Disclaimer – I don't own any of the spelling mistakes you might find. Nor do I own this world, I just like to mess around with it. **


	9. Dreams and Reality

**Author's note – I'm so glad at the positive feedback from the last chapter! I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I have big plans for this fic, so that means it'll go on for a while. Anyway I hope this is up to par! It's my goal to hit 100 reviews… but Shh you didn't hear it from me. **

**Disclaimer – don't own, blah. I reckon you've got the point by now. **

"Neville, Luna, I need to talk to you both right now!" Ginny hissed after dinner one week. The Great Hall was packed as usual but there was no sign of Hermione. In fact it seemed like she barely ate with the school anymore. It had been a whole week since Hermione had rushed into the Great Hall with her song and dance about the Sorting Hat exploding before her very eyes. A claim that Ginny doubted to no end.

"Are you alright?" Neville asked, genuinely worried about his friend.

"Oh I'm quite fine thank you." Luna replied dreamily and at this Neville blushed and mumbled something they didn't quite catch.

"Listen this is important! We have to go somewhere they won't hear us." Ginny insisted and shortly after they were all on the way down to the room of requirement. Neville had to struggle to keep up with Ginny who was stomping away furiously fast and Luna who was skipping ahead of them all anyway.

"Oh hello Hermione!" Luna smiled and waved as the girl in question looked over at them with surprise. She was walking back from the library.

"Luna! Ginny! Neville! It's so good to see you!" Hermione beamed.

"Oh yeah, I bet it is." Ginny replied bitingly

"What?" Hermione questioned but Luna interrupted before anyone could start yelling.

"Would you like to come to The Room of Requirement with us Hermione?" she offered kindly.

"Oh, well I was going to…" Hermione said hesitantly when Ginny cut her off again.

"Meet up with all your Slytherin pals?" she said with a distinctive mocking tone, one that she rarely used when she used to get angry – this was a different Ginny than Hermione used to know.

"What was that?" Hermione challenged her to say it again.

"Oh you know exactly what I just said!" Ginny replied angrily.

"I think maybe we should all just calm down…" Neville tried desperately to stop the fighting then went beet red as both girls glared him down.

"I'll calm down when Ginny stops accusing me of such ridiculous claims!"

"I'm just saying what's already true!" Ginny snapped back then stomped away calling back "I'll be in the Gryffindor common room, you should go back to your evil little lackeys Hermione, wouldn't want to keep them waiting!" she yelled then ran away.

"Hermione, we don't feel that way about you… just so you know." Neville said sheepishly and Luna smiled knowingly at him.

"Thanks Neville." She replied miserably.

"If you want we could all go to the Quidditch game this Saturday?" Luna offered and then reached into her pocket and pulled out a box that couldn't have been bigger than five centimeters.

"I might just take you up on that… though I'm not so sure Ginny would like that idea." She gave them a worried look.

"That's alright, you'll be among friends." Luna beamed then took Neville's hand in her own "shall we go then?" she asked and Neville (who was still red) looked at Hermione.

"It's alright, you two go on, I was going to quickly get some dinner." She lied then waved them off as the hurried towards the Room. Quickly pushing her spat with Ginny to the back of her mind she too hurried back to her common room.

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall's nasal voice croaked from behind her and she turned around quickly, in the middle of the hallway around the corner from her common room.

"Yes Professor?" she asked then noticed that she wasn't alone; Draco was standing behind McGonagall with his hands in his pockets.

"Follow me please." She said and Hermione cast a confused glance at Draco who just shrugged and the two followed after the teacher.

---

Half an hour later Hermione and Draco were back in the common room talking about what they had just been told.

"We could make a run for it?" Draco said with the barest hint of humor in his voice. He was sitting on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table in front of them while Hermione was sitting on the arm of the couch with her arms wrapped around her legs.

"No we can't do that." She shook her messy curls.

"Could we hide?" he questioned and she rolled her eyes.

"You'll just have to grin and bear it." She laughed and he glared at her.

"This is hardly a laughing matter Granger." He watched her as she regained controlled her breathing – she seemed to find the upcoming event much funnier than Malfoy did.

"Okay, whatever you say Draco." She replied and they both fell silent as a hooting could be heard from both of their rooms.

"Er – I'll just go and…" she said motioning to her room.

"Yeah – I'll just be…" he said at the exact same time and with an awkward last look at each other they both hurried up their stairs. Draco's letter was from his mother this time. He opened it with an air on confusion – what could his mother possibly have to say to him anyway?

_My dear son, _

_I can't go into details of why and I have limited time to write this. You must not come home during the coming holidays nor can you stay at Hogwarts. Forgive me but it's far too risky, I hope you are well and please do not reply to this letter. Just find somewhere safe to be as soon as the holidays begin. _

_Love always, your mother. _

_P.S – I've heard Hermione Granger is Head Girl? I can already see this will be an interesting year for you – just remember though, some opportunities only come once. _

He put down the note with even more confusion than when he'd opened it. He had to admit that it had given him some small hope that his mother was looking out for him even though they hadn't spoken in a month since he'd returned to school. But a bigger part of him knew there was a different, larger hope already in him. A hope that had been painstakingly built by Hermione herself. She unlike the other half-wit girls at Hogwarts didn't chase him around like a headless chicken. She treated him like she would any other but she also made him feel like a human. And that was something he'd forgotten to feel a long time ago.

Realizing that she had made him feel like this angered him, but at the same time it calmed him. It was as though they were walking a very thin wire, which would snap if they were too hasty. But Draco Malfoy was impatient by nature and he wasn't going to wait around forever – no Draco Malfoy was a doer. It was time for him to take action, and he already knew what he was going to do. The only question that hovered around his mind was if she would let him.

---

Ginny couldn't sit down any longer, she had to get up and do something. She decided she'd try the library – something she never did. But she figured that maybe she could find out what books Hermione had borrowed last – it could give her some keen insight into what on earth had happened to her friend. Marching away she left the common room and walked past Pansy Parkinson who glowered at her as usual.

"Weaslette."

"Pugsy." Ginny replied and received a very Slytherin snarl in return. It was then that she realized something she hadn't yet noticed. She wasn't yet out of choices – she had a sure-fire way of stopping Hermione becoming a Death Eater.

As soon as she got into the library she picked out the most secluded area she could and whipped out her quill. She sucked on the end for a moment then began scrawling away.

_Dear Harry, _

_Here's something you might be interested to know. According to a large number of Slytherins, Hermione is going to become a Death Eater. Oh and the person who'll be assisting with this chore is none other than Ferret. Can I hex him now? _

_Love Ginny. _

"Hex whom?" Blaise Zabini asked, peering over her shoulder where he had silently been reading over her shoulder for about two minutes.

"You!" Ginny gasped then tore the letter away from his eyes "Do you just go around reading private letters or something?" she snapped.

"No. I just happened to be going around and noticed you writing one." He replied smartly and she glared at him.

"I'll just be going then." Ginny said then attempted to walk past him. He blocked her path quickly with an amused grin on his face and a twinkling in his eyes.

"But I just got here." He complained.

"Do you piss me off for fun? Or is this totally unplanned?" she asked angrily.

"Yes." He said with a hint of a laugh.

"Yes to what?"

"What to what?" he asked innocently

"What?" 

"What, _what_?"

"Ugh!" Ginny exclaimed then pushed past him then froze and pulled out her wand.

"Oh and Blaise?" she turned around with a scarily calm smile and pushed her bright red hair behind her shoulders.

"Yes Ginny Weasley?" he answered like a butler would answer to a formal guest.

"If you _ever_ read my letters again, or come near me in any way I'll not hesitate to hex you all the way the North Pole and back again." She warned and Blaise watched her walk away with an eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Gryffindor girls are weird." He stated out loud not noticing the offended look from Lavender who was busy reading _101 Ways to Charm Your Way Through Life._

_---_

After the usual letter from Ron and Harry (who seemed to have gotten more sleep but had no further luck with Horcrux's) Hermione had fallen asleep in front of the fire. She had drifted off into a peaceful slumber that was soon another dream.

_It was a sunny day, probably a weekend considering all the students walking about the corridors. All of a sudden running at her was Ron and Harry. _

"_We've missed you so much!" Ron beamed and the three of them exchanged hugs, Ron leaning down twice to hug Hermione with a goofy grin on his face. _

"_Oh Hermione, if it hadn't been for you, we surely wouldn't be here right now." Harry said resting a hand on her shoulder. _

"_Did you hear that?" Hermione called back from behind her shoulder._

"_How could I not have, love?" A dreadfully familiar chuckle came from the illogically darkened corridors and Draco stepped out wearing a black dress shirt and looking very well cleaned up. _

"_Oh go on then!" Harry said encouragingly._

"_Yeah go on!" Ron agreed and then they stepped back and out of nowhere they were both standing directly in the middle of a stage. Draco walked very slowly for Hermione who in turn walked towards him for what seemed like the longest time in history. The crackling of flames could be heard roaring in background somewhere when suddenly Draco's head dipped and Hermione's titled upwards. They locked eyes for a brief moment and he cupped her face with his pale, rather warm hands and she gripped his shirt with a longing that couldn't be described. _

"_Draco…" she breathed as their lips slowly grazed against each other's with a feather light electricity, breaking the moment was an explosion of green fire which caused Hermione to wake up with a jolt. _

"Oh!" she gasped as she shot up from the couch and someone jumped from the armchair next to her. It was Draco and he looked absolutely startled at her sudden, very frightening way of waking up.

"What?" he questioned, wondering if he'd missed something scary.

"Huh?" she slowly took in her surroundings then unwillingly remembered a rather prominent scene from her dream and blushed madly "It's nothing!" she said far too quickly for him to believe it.

"Sure… anyway I have a question for you." He said quickly getting to the point and he put down the book that was resting on his lap.

"You do?" her voice rose to a slightly panicky tone and he looked at her with minor concern "ask away." She added nervously.

"Are you going to Quidditch on Saturday?" he asked, looking very defensive.

"Is that it? Of course I am, though cheering for Slytherin is sure to be a terrifying experience all on its own." She shuddered just thinking about it.

"Good." he replied when he started walking towards his room.

"Draco." Hermione said quickly before he could disappear anywhere. He turned around with deliberate slowness.

"Yeah?" he asked, waiting impatiently for her to gather her thoughts.

"Did you hear anything I was saying before… when I was asleep?" she wondered sheepishly.

With a smirk he simply replied, "How could I not have?" and then returned to his room leaving Hermione to sit and blush alone in front of the roaring fire.

---

**A/n – ooh foreshadowing! I'd love to hear any comments or ideas you guys have from this chapter – I can tell you there are a lot of hints in this story to a much later plot branch. Here's a few word hints for what to look forward to next chapter – Quidditch, dates and drama. However you interpret that is up to you! **


	10. New Heights

**Thanks to all readers who have put this story down on alert or on their favourite, it always makes my day! Anyway, enjoy. **

_Gin, _

_That's crazy. Hermione's my best friend so be careful what you accuse her of to me. The day Hermione becomes a Death Eater is the day Snape wears pink robes to class. Stop being paranoid. I miss you a lot and your brother is being a right bloody git. Has Quidditch started yet? _

_Love Harry. _

Ginny sighed and put the letter under her bed with the rest of them. She knew deep down that Harry was right, but she couldn't help believe what she heard. Shaking her head she made her way down to the library to do her (very overdue) homework.

---

Hermione woke up with every inch of her body aching. She put it down to not getting enough sleep but then dragged her way over to the bathroom. She was shaking and much colder than usual. She reached for her face washer and began cleaning up her unusually pale face – she was almost purple. With shaking fingers she picked up her tube of vanilla toothpaste and attempted picking up her toothbrush but it slipped out of her grasp. It hit Malfoy's door and landed on the tiles in front of it. Sighing through a severely blocked nose she walked over to reclaim it. As soon as she had kneeled down though the door swung open and hit her right in the center of her forehead.

"Ow!" she gasped as the force of the collision sent her toppling backwards into the bathtub with a painful sounding _thud! _

"Granger?" Malfoy was looking at her in utter amusement while she rubbed her throbbing head.

"What?" she snapped.

"Why are you in the bath?" he asked, suppressing a laugh.

"Because I've always wondered what bathing without water would be like!" she replied sarcastically "because you knocked me in here you git!" she said when her voice cut out on her and turned into a series of sandpapery croaks.

"Are you sick or something?" his lips turned up into his characteristic sneer at the though of a sick Mudblood.

"Oh get over yourself!" Hermione chided as she hoisted herself out of the tub. The bathtub was inbuilt so it looked more like an over-large spa than anything else. The Head's really did get everything.

"I just needed to get ready for practice." He said defensively.

"Then I'll get out of your way shall I?" she snapped, suddenly very much in a fighting mood "wouldn't want to infect your precious pureblood air now would I!" she sounded angry enough; the only problem was she was beginning to get very dizzy.

"I never even mentioned that!" Malfoy fought back but his voice softened a little when he took in how sickly she looked.

"Just leave it then." Hermione said roughly and attempted finding the door handle with significantly blurred vision.

"No I will not just leave it!" he replied "what's wrong with you this morning? Is it that time of month or something?" he asked without the slightest bit of shame – he'd learned from Pansy exactly how bad 'that time of month' could be. In fact in fifth year Pansy had gotten so sour she'd _stupefied _Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle in less than 10 seconds.

"How dare you!" she snapped, flushing a deep scarlet.

"Are you sick or something?" he asked this time with genuine curiosity.

"Oh please, like you even care." She almost laughed at him.

"Don't decide what I do or don't care about Granger. Answer my question, are you sick?" he asked, watching as she crossed her arms.

"No." she lied, though it was clear from her croaky voice she was indeed sick this morning.

"Bull."

"I'm fine." She lied again, this time her voice was weaker.

Suddenly it was as if gravity had gone away, or the tiles had been pulled out from underneath her. She was falling so gradually that she didn't have time to vocally react. However she never hit the floor, she unconscious long before that. Draco picked her up with great caution; he had felt the strangest fear when she had fallen before. And now he felt the strangest duty to make sure she was okay. He stood in the bathroom with Hermione limp in his arms and deliberated his next move. He could simply just carry her to the nurses but that would arouse too many suspicions and rumors. Just last month he would gladly let her have just lie on the cold bathroom floor – but that was a month ago and this was now. Reaching his ultimate conclusion he sighed and walked her over to his bed and decided he'd take care of her himself. After all it was just one stupid cold, how hard could it be.

He placed her down as gently as he could and made sure she was comfortable. She was moving so slightly, that she was probably just having a weird dream. He conjured up a goblet and the ingredients he needed. He'd seen his mother make this whenever he got sick – it was stuck in his memory. Using a Heating charm he warmed the milk to the perfect temperature then poured in one tablespoon of honey and a few drops of butter beer. Once the drink was made he shook her shoulder lightly, just enough to have her wake up.

"Granger?" he muttered, watching her eyes flicker underneath her eyelids.

"Go away." She said in reply and he smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Get up, I need you to drink something." He ordered and she half opened one eye so she could give him a half glare.

"Did you poison it?" Draco was now glaring at her.

"No, but if you don't get up a second then I will." He warned, though it was clearly a joke. She sighed and shifted then looked around the room with curious eyes.

"Something smells nice," she said then added, "I'm in your room. Why am I in your room?" she glanced at Draco who was holding out the goblet for her.

"Drink this, you'll feel better for it." He said, ignoring her last question since he wasn't really sure why he'd chosen his room. Her room was exactly the same distance away too so he really had no excuses to make.

"Okay, but if this is some weird potion." She eyed the liquid for a minute then titled her head back and gulped it down.

"Well, what's the verdict Granger?" he questioned casually.

"It's good!" she couldn't suppress the smile creeping about her lips – neither could he.

"You sound so surprised."

"Because I am," she placed the silver goblet back on Draco's bedside table "thank you."

"For what?" he said, suddenly feeling a bit pink in the face.

"Not letting me smash my head open on the tiles." She replied, though she knew there was more she was thanking him for.

"Well if that happened I'd just have to clean it up. It's not worth all that scrubbing." He joked and luckily for him she didn't seem to take it to heart.

"Shut it you." She smiled playfully and hit him on the arm.

"Watch the robes!" he warned.

"Baby." She rolled her eyes then noticed something "didn't you say you were getting ready for practice." She was sure she'd been out for more than just a few minutes when Draco's eyes widened with realization.

"Bloody hell!" he groaned then walked quickly over to the bathroom "you'll be fine here right?" he called over his shoulder without even thinking.

"Draco Malfoy if you're being a gentleman I think I might have to take you to St Mungo's… or kill you myself." She joked and he slammed the door.

"Go to sleep Granger." He ordered and she giggled and let her head rest again on one of his pillows.

---

"Hermione's late." Neville said for about the seventh time in the last twenty minutes and Luna just nodded and smiled at him. Luna had previously called their little outing a 'date' which had made Neville go very red in the face and he'd been very nervous since.

"She's being taken care of." Luna assured him though he was a little stumped as to how she could possibly know that. She then picked herself another sandwich and began munching away which let Neville know it was okay to eat too.

"Hey." Ginny called as she approached, flanked by Dean and Seamus who waved to Neville and Luna who were sitting awkwardly on a picnic rug.

"Hullo." The both said back at the same time.

"Mind if we butt in?" Dean asked with a casual politeness.

"Good." Seamus said as he sat down on the rub and happily helped himself to a handful of sandwiches.

"Gross Seamus!" Ginny boxed his ears as he shoved about three sandwiches whole into his mouth "how you're not fat, I'll never know." She sighed and he grinned.

"For me to know and for you to find out." he winked playfully at her and Ginny just shuddered and glanced over at the Quidditch pitch, which was only just in view. Apparently the Slytherin team was done with practice, although one player was still flying about the pitch alone. Ginny couldn't quite make out who – not to mention they never stayed in one area long enough for her to make out who he or she was.

"Hey isn't that Pansy?" Dean said pointing in the opposite direction of the pitch where Pansy Parkinson was walking next to a very tall, thin looking woman.

"Wonder what her deal is now…" Ginny added in bitterly.

"It's a family matter, not an overly pleasant one either." Luna said with her head tipped on its side and staring at them with casual wonder.

"You mean, that's her mum?" Neville asked, trying to spot the resemblance between the two women.

"Yes." Luna nodded and Ginny gave Dean a knowing look.

"Well you know what this calls for then." Dean waited for Ginny to give him an Extendable Ear, which they quickly tied it to the largest piece of string they could manage to find in Ginny's bag. Dean did the honors of throwing the ear just far enough that they could listen in, but not too close that they would notice it was there. The five of them bent in to listen and all they could hear so far was the distracting sound of ants marching along together. It was then that you could hear Pansy's mother speak.

"We can't take risks of you being with Nott. His family doesn't hold the same… prestige that the Malfoy's have." She sounded stern, but not old.

"Mummy, I've tried! Every time I talk to him, he snaps. He snaps with everybody." She replied miserably, like a child who had been caught trying to cheat on a test.

"Then try harder."

"Mummy!"

"No, I will not have you dragging our family name through the mud. I'm not asking you to love him, I'm asking you to trap him so our family name finally gets back the fear it used to inspire."

"Mud?"

"Oh be reasonable dear, if anyone found out you were actually half-blood we'd be shunned forever!" she yelled rudely at her daughter.

"I know that mummy… I know." Pansy almost sounded pitiful now.

"Now lets talk about your grades, Severus had told me that…" and with that last sentence both their voices faded out of range and Dead reeled the ear back in. none of them spoke for a moment they just pondered on what they'd heard.

"We can't tell anyone." Neville was the first to say anything and it was the one thing they all agreed on at that moment. No one else needed to know.

---

Hermione was sitting in the empty Quidditch stands with her books opened up all around her and she finished off all her weekend homework – plus all the extra study she'd been wanting to do. Draco zoomed around looking rather tedious and stealing glances at Hermione every now and then as she scribbled madly over her parchment. With a sigh of annoyance he flew over and dismounted his broom beside her. She looked up with mild interest.

"Done already?" she asked, she'd only come down to the pitch because she didn't want to sleep and Draco had said that she had to be somewhere where he could keep an eye on her.

"No, it's just annoying having you sitting here." He complained.

"It's your idea, you can only blame yourself." She pointed out and he rolled his eyes.

"If you're just going to sit around you might as well have a shot at it yourself." He motioned out to the pitch and her eyes widened.

"At flying?" she asked, eyes still wide as she glanced up at him.

"Yeah, why not?" he asked "Come on, you deserve a break, you've been doing whatever your doing for an hour now!" he insisted and she crossed her arms defiantly.

"It's _Advanced Transfiguration _and it's very important that I keep up with my…"

"Chicken." Draco cut her off quickly and she shot him a glare.

"What?" she dared him to say it again.

"I said you're a chicken Granger." He repeated.

"I am _not_ a chicken! I just don't care about such trivial things like flying about on a broomstick!" she said much too quickly.

"Oh come _on_!" he pleaded and she shook her head.

"You can't make me." She reminded him, then realized what she'd just done.

"Oh so it's a challenge now." He raised an eyebrow and grabbed her wrist.  
"Draco, let go!" she warned, scolding herself for leaving her wand in her bag.

"No." he replied, not hearing the note of fear in her voice.

"Draco, please!" she almost yelled this as he mounted the broom and hoisted her on the back where she was now struggling to get off.

"Stop doing that!" he yelled in annoyance "it's not even scary." He rolled his eyes, not understanding her reaction. She was gripped the front of his robes so tightly her knuckled were almost completely white. Malfoy kicked off from the ground and Hermione couldn't hold back her scream, it was exactly how she remembered it.

"Draco, _please_, let me down!" she screamed as tears fell furiously from her eye sockets. Draco looked over his shoulder and immediately landed back on the stands where Hermione stumbled off, still weeping.

"Her – Granger, what is it?" he questioned looking down at where she sat. She was sitting on her feet and wiping away at the tears that couldn't seem to stop falling.

"Nothing." She said through painful sobs and he suddenly felt the worst remorse for not listening to her before. Without thinking twice about it he held onto her arms and pulled her up, he couldn't stand seeing her sitting down _and _crying about something he'd done. Out of the blue she stepped forward and buried her head in his chest. Suddenly it seemed like the sun was shining just a little brighter.

"I… hate… flying." She sobbed, and it served as a good enough explanation for Draco. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around the weeping girl and after a moment of standing like that he rested his chin on her messy hair.

"I'm sorry." He managed to say without any of his usual bitterness or sarcasm. A pregnant pause followed as he waited for her response.

"Okay." She sniffled but kept her hands securely on his robes until she could calm down enough for her to walk back to the common room and wait for the match to start.


	11. Preparing For The Worst

**Sorry for the lateness in updating, its holidays so I haven't been home long enough to write. I actually have a job now (not as fun as one might think) so I might get kind of weird with updates but I'll try my best here! Carrying on with the much-delayed chapter 11! **

"This is stupid." Draco Malfoy said, looking down at his new dress robes sent to him by his mother. They were dark green with black lace and although they looked very proper they also served as a painful reminder of the upcoming Halloween Ball. The Halloween Ball was a witch's choice dance that was exclusive for seventh years (unless their dates were younger). Almost two weeks ago now McGonagall had pulled them aside to talk to them about helping to organize it. She had also told them that the Heads should attend together to set an example of leadership for the others. However she had left the choice up to them – something they both wanted to put off.

"I think I might actually agree with you on that," Hermione replied from the bathroom door "I came to see what all the whining was about." She explained before he could ask.

"Wonderful, go away." Draco replied blocking his robes from view.

"Oh move aside! I'm going to see them anyway even if you hide them." She pointed out and then her eyes widened as she saw the dress robes.

"Don't start!" he warned.

"Is that silk?" she exclaimed then rushed forward to feel the material "How can you afford this kind of thing when your fathers in Azkaban?" she mostly meant the question to be rhetorical, however the air still went cold at the mention of Lucius Malfoy. She turned around quickly and Draco was suddenly very interested in his feet.

"Draco… I'm sorry I shouldn't have…" she reached out and placed a hand on his elbow. He didn't react to the touch however he didn't flinch away.

"Yeah well you did didn't you?" he snapped.

"I didn't mean…"

"To what? Bring up my father? I've told you not to." He reminded her coldly.

"I know… I guess I just forgot…"

"Forgot what? That you and _your lot_ landed him in Azkaban? That you and your lot made my summer miserable? That you and your lot tore apart my family? Yeah it's funny the things you and your lot seem to forget." He yelled.

"That's hardly fair!" she said back, raising her voice but refraining from yelling back.

"Yeah well if you haven't noticed nothing that happens to me is fair." He raised his wrist as visual aid and she took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry." She said calmly. He scoffed.

"Yeah that'll fix it. I'll tell the Dark Lord shall I? Then we'll all go for tea?"

"I didn't come in here to fight with you!" she replied, tears springing to her eyes at the though of Voldemort as it only made her think of Harry and Ron.

"What did you come in here for then?" he replied, lowering his voice a little.

"I came to see if you wanted to attend to Ball with me, but since everything that happens to you seems to be my fault then maybe you'd rather not!" she confessed angrily then stormed out of the room (via the bathroom) and locked both of her doors. Draco was left standing in his room wondering whether he should sit down or kick himself. He had given some amount of thought into what girl he would go with. The only thing was it was witch's choice so he didn't know if Hermione would ask him. He was very much sure that Pansy would be stomping her way up here now to ask him about it. He also had to be weary of the fact that there were probably hordes of Gryffindor boys waiting on her to ask them – he had no clue that she was a friend with anyone besides Potty and Weasel.

He sat down on his mattress and pushed his dress robes away. He had to seriously think about what he was going to do about the stupid Halloween Ball.

---

Lunch in the Great Hall was as usual; Luna had joined the Gryffindor table (where she was always welcomed in an awkward sort of way) and was sitting across from Neville and Ginny. On either side of Luna were Dean and Seamus both of which were looking at the Slytherin table.

"Is she there?" Ginny asked irritably.

"No, and stop asking that, its getting worn." Dean complained but was interrupted by Seamus.

"No Hermione, but Pansy-the-dog-faced-girl is making a big show." He stated and everyone turned to see Pansy standing on her seat wearing a bushy brown wig and jumping up and down with her hand in the air – something that seemed to be incredibly funny to rest of the Slytherins.

"I wish McGonagall would ban Parkinson from going to the Ball." Dean said, glaring at the girl as she began pretending to be gnawing at a piece of wood.

"What?" Ginny looked at Dean as though he were speaking a second language.

"The Halloween Ball." Neville answered as though it were plainly obvious.

"McGonagall told everyone in Transfiguration yesterday, apparently Hermione and Malfoy already know – they're organizers." Dean added then Seamus chimed in.

"You didn't know about it?"

"No! Why didn't we get told?" Ginny asked, stabbing her spoon into a blueberry muffin.

"Well it's only for seventh years so they try to keep it a secret from the other year levels, we always end up finding out though." Luna said suddenly, everyone seemed surprised since she hadn't said a word since sitting down.

"If that's the case then why do you know?" Ginny asked, feeling very much out of it and though she wouldn't admit it, she was jealous.

"It wasn't hard to figure out. The seventh years made up a code about it. It's actually quite easy to figure out if you listen hard enough." She explained and everyone fell silent. Ginny muttered something that sounded like 'Ravenclaws.' But Luna acted as though she didn't hear a word.

"W…Well if you want Luna, you could go with me… if you asked me." Luna smiled pleasantly.

"So it really is a witch's choice. I though that the seventh years were just kidding. I'd be delighted by the way." She added at the end an though he was beet red, Neville couldn't hide his grin. Even Ginny seemed to brighten at the rather cute display of… whatever they were displaying. Suddenly, as though someone had placed a _lumos_ spell above her head Ginny slammed her palms against the table making the others jump.

"Dean!" she shrieked.

"What'd I do?" he asked suddenly, placing for his fork down very slowly.

"Lets go the Ball!" she almost sounded as if she was demanding it of him.

"Uh… okay why?" he inquired.

"So that we can… er… keep an eye on Hermione… and Malfoy and Little-Miss-Dog-Face." She lied quickly, her true intentions were mainly to spy on Hermione. She knew that if Harry ever found out he would go bonkers but she needed to know what was going on before she told everyone what she'd heard.

"Who am I meant to go with then?" Seamus asked hopefully then off the looks "well I'm not sitting in the common room doing homework while you traitors go and have fun am I?" he pointed out.

"Well I know Browns been on the prowl for someone…" Dean hinted very obviously.

"I'm not going to the Ball with Ron's cast off! I mean come on, me and _Lavender?" _

"Did you say my name?" Lavender called from a few seats down.

"N…"

"Yeah he did actually Lavender, but see he's a bit shy. He wants to ask you to ask him to the Halloween Ball." Ginny said quickly, ignoring the look of absolute betrayal on her friends face.

"Oh?" she seemed almost amused by this idea then she looked back at Seamus "Okay then! But make sure you don't wear anything daggy." She smiled at him then skipped out of the Great Hall – most likely to start spreading the news to the whole country.

"Ginny, one of these days I swear I will…"

"Oh please, you couldn't curse a fly!" she rolled her eyes then Luna spoke again.

"When is the ball anyway?"

----

"The Halloween Ball is exactly two weeks from now on Friday night!" Professor Flitwick told them that afternoon in Advanced Charms. The boys in the class all looked around awkwardly (it was an all Slytherin class since none of them minded Charms that much) while the girls all leaned towards their friends and started whispering happily.

"And since I'm sure most of you don't take Muggle Studies I shall take the courtesy of telling you about Halloween from a Muggle's point of view." The little man grinned like it was Christmas morning however everyone else seemed to see this as torture.

"Won't this be fun?" Pansy said loudly and a few girls sniggered. Everyone seemed to be looking at Malfoy for him to make an even cooler comment as to not be outdone.

"Yeah what if…"

"Perhaps if some people could keep their insecurities to themselves then we might actually learn something rather listening to your insufferable prattling." Hermione said very obviously annoyed. Pansy just sat there with her mouth open as though someone had just slapped her across the face. Out of nowhere someone started clapping Hermione's insult and soon enough a few others joined in. she rolled her eyes at them, she didn't need their support – she was quite sure she didn't _want_ support from people like those.

"Yes, anyway carrying on then," Flitwick couldn't be bothered dolling out punishments with them today "Halloween or All Saints Day is used a tradition for young Muggle's to go house to house for candy collecting, however each of these Muggle's is required to wear a costume – a sort of disguise really."

"I'd want to disguise myself too if I was a bloody Muggle." Draco whispered from the table in front of Hermione's. He was sitting with Blaise who laughed kindly at Draco's joke to that Hermione just shook her head at them.

"Sir?" the blonde girl next to Hermione said impatiently.

"Yes, Miss Whitmore?" Flitwick pointed his wand to girl to signal her to speak.

"What does any of this have to do with the Halloween Ball, I thought it was just dancing?" she asked, however she was too rude when she said it – something that amazed Hermione.

"I'm glad you asked Miss Whitmore! You see Muggle's take it as tradition to dress up as things from our world!" Flitwick had never seemed so excited in his life, but he rambled on "This is what they have been doing for centuries. Vampires, werewolves, witches even goblins – everything we have here they dress up as on Halloween, which leads us to this years theme…"

"Oh you cannot be serious!" Pansy cried in horror.

"What?" Blaise asked, he and the rest of class still didn't understand what Pansy was so upset about – except for Hermione. Hermione however was not upset about it; no she seemed to think this was an excellent way to teach Pansy a lesson for being so obnoxious.

"The theme for this years Halloween Ball is 'Muggle Mishaps'! Oh isn't this exciting!" Flitwick was all but jumping with joy now.

"Kill. Me. Now." Draco said slowly and Blaise patted him sympathetically on the back. Suddenly Hermione had an idea that hadn't occurred to her before.

"Blaise?" she asked for him in her nicest tone of voice.

"Yeah?" he turned around, as did Draco who was eyeing her cautiously. They still hadn't talked since their encounter in the morning and seeing her act so pleasant could only mean something bad was about to happen – or worse.

"Would you like to go to Ball with me?" she hoped to Merlin he would say yes. She wanted to get back to Draco for his behavior towards her this morning. Blaise looked very taken aback by this sudden suggestion however he didn't look displeased.

"Uh… yeah alright." He scratched his head then looked from Draco and Hermione who had opposite expressions. Hermione was smiling pleasantly at him (however the strain was obvious on her face) and he was glaring at her like there was no tomorrow.

"Good, I'll see you later then." Hermione smiled then began gathering her books just as the bell chimed for the end of classes. Then the girl next to Hermione spoke again this time she sounded like she was rather amused by something.

"Draco." She said to catch his attention. He turned towards her sharply, motioning for her to get on with it.

"What Eva?" he said then exhaled.

"Has anyone asked you to the Ball yet?" she asked in an even voice. Hermione however dropped her Charms textbook and her notebook and Draco cleared his throat.

"Not exactly, why?" he asked, though he knew exactly where this was going.

"Wanna go with me?" she offered casually. Draco took one quick glance at Hermione who was hurriedly picking up her books as people rushed past her. One look at her face and remembering who she'd asked just a minute ago he looked Eva Whitmore in the eyes.

"Yeah, alright." He said as Hermione shuffled out of the room with the rest of the Slytherins towards their last classes. Draco too left just behind Eva who seemed to be rather amused at something as she kept smiling. Pansy left last of all with her mouth hanging wide open again. She had heard everything – from Hermione getting a date (before her too) to Draco getting snagged by Eva.

"This cannot be happening!" she shrieked and headed towards her last class. Try desperately to think of way to separate Eva and Draco. It was clear, even to Pansy Parkinson that the Halloween Ball was just an accident waiting to happen – it was just a matter of two weeks and the right amount of planning.

"What am I going to wear!" she cried again suddenly realizing she had little to no idea of what Muggle's looked like – let alone what they usually wore "This is going to be the worst night in the history of Hogwarts!"

**Oh yay. Writing again feels good. Cheers for being patient with me as well, you guys are the best! Oh and if anyone has any ideas for Muggle Mishaps (stuff like doctors, plumbers and other things that aren't generally in the wizard world go ahead and leave that in a review or a PM okay? Any suggestions will help!) Oh and the next chapter will NOT be the Ball itself – I'm just evil that way. **


	12. Calm Before The Storm

**It's official – you guys are the best. Anyone who reads this, that means you too! Thanks so much to everyone for helping me reach 100 reviews! I'll put down names and cookies at the bottom. Hope you enjoy the chapter. **

Breakfast at the Great Hall was different that morning. There were two reasons for that. The first being the Halloween Ball was tomorrow night. The second being Hermione had decided to come down for breakfast for the first time in at least a month. Ginny, Neville, Dean and Seamus were all staring at her like she had grown a second head. Luna was back at the Ravenclaw table, laughing into her goblet like she had just remembered a really funny joke.

"Something weird is going on." Ginny said finally when no one else gave any indication that they were going to speak.

"I'm very confused." Dean added tilting his head like that would change what he was seeing. Across the hall at the Slytherin table Hermione and Blaise were sitting together eating breakfast and talking like they were best friends.

"Maybe it's a Halloween prank." Seamus suggested hopefully.

"Or maybe not." Neville said as Hermione laughed at something Blaise said. At that moment Hermione glanced over at the Gryffindor table as Blaise said something else. The four of them turned back to their plates and began eating quickly. It wasn't like they were hiding from Hermione; no they were just extremely confused as to why she was enjoying breakfast with Blaise Zabini.

---

"Okay well then what about Binns?" Blaise asked with a grin emerging on his face.

"I don't _hate_ him, but it would be nice if he could teach us without well…"

"Floating through blackboards?" Blaise finished for her and she smiled and nodded.

"What about you? What teachers don't you like?" Hermione asked taking a bite out of her toast while watching Blaise think about his answer.

"Snape." He said finally.

"Snape?" she repeated in shock "I though Slytherins liked Snape?" she said as Blaise shook his head and took a huge bite out of his scrambled eggs.

"It's cool when he gives Slytherin points even when we didn't do anything, but the mans really creepy." He said then off Hermione's look "What?"

"So Slytherins don't like Snape?" she asked in disbelief.

"Not most of us, I mean sure if he did something about his nose and washed his hair once in a while, maybe." He joked and Hermione laughed out loud. Hearing Blaise talk about Snape reminded her of when she used to do the same with Harry and Ron. Blaise quickly tapped her on the elbow.

"You're friends are looking at us funny." He stated and Hermione looked up at the Gryffindor table but not one person there was even remotely looking in their direction.

"No their not?" she said, wondering why Blaise had said that.

"They were." Blaise replied. Hermione just shrugged and finished off her toast, which had grown a little cold because she'd been chatting with Blaise for so long. As she swallowed her last bite Blaise tapped her on the elbow again and she looked at him questioningly.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Someone over there seems to want a word with you." He said and pointed at the entrance where Draco stood with his arms folded. Hermione sighed and stood up from her seat.

"I'll just be a minute." She said to Blaise who just waved his hand at her.

"Take your time." He grinned and she smiled kindly at him. She looked up to Draco was carefully avoiding her eyes with his arms still crossed. Hermione could almost swear he was pouting just a little bit.

"What?" she asked him while placing her hands on her hips.

"I need to talk to you." He said simply and she rolled her eyes.

"Not right now, I'm sort of busy." She replied and turned around to walk back to Blaise, but before she could walk anywhere Draco was already dragging her out of the Great Hall by the arm. Once they were a fair distance away from the Hall and any onlookers Hermione looked at him impatiently.

"Well?" she asked, waiting.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he asked angrily.

"I'm not. I'm talking to you right now." They both glared at each other.

"Fine then, why did you ask Blaise to the Ball?" he snapped, finally getting to the heart of the matter.

"Because he's nice, and he doesn't snap at me every two minutes!" she said back, her voice rising without her noticing it.

"I don't snap! You were the one who started it last time!" he fought back.

"I did not! Clearly you did or you wouldn't still be mad about it!"

"I'm not mad!"

"Then why are you yelling?" a nearby lady in a painting questioned while a sinister looking elf watched the two bicker from inside the same painting.

"Oh so now you're ganging up on me!" he exclaimed as the elf chuckled.

"Listen! I would have gone with you if you hadn't snapped my head of each time I tried!" Hermione explained, "Besides you already have someone to go with!"

"You would have gone with me?" Draco stopped yelling immediately.

"What?" Hermione stopped in her tracks too; she hadn't really heard what she'd been saying.

"You. You just said you would have gone with me." He couldn't help it, a tiny hint of a smile formed on his lips as he watched her try to pick excuses.

"No… I did but… I've got studying to do." She blurted out and quickly made her way back into the hall to collect her things. She was so flustered she didn't even have time to explain things to Blaise; she just took off. Her first class was Advanced Muggle Studies so she didn't have to worry about facing Draco for a while. However she had potions after lunch and Ancient Runes after that. She couldn't avoid him forever.

---

Pansy walked into the girl's bathroom after Divination with Ravenclaw. She needed to re-apply her makeup after sitting by that fireplace for a whole hour. As she approached the mirror Eva Whitmore walked out a toilet cubicle.

"Hello." She said casually as she began washing her hands.

"Hi." Pansy replied bitterly whilst applying a thick coating of bright pink lipstick.

"So who are you taking to the dance?" Eva asked conversationally.

"Nott. Since you stole my date." Pansy retorted and Eva raised one of her thin blonde eyebrows.

"Draco wouldn't have gone with you anyway. I'm surprised Nott said yes, none of the Slytherin boys really like you anymore." She replied turning off the taps "I'm not trying to be rude sweetie but you're slipping." She added then walked about the bathroom leaving Pansy steaming with rage in front of the mirrors.

"Slipping am I?" she said to her reflection then pulled out her wand 'Hey, Myrtle?" she called as the ghost in question appeared from behind a cubicle.

"I suppose you need someone else to make fun of now the living girls gone." Myrtle sniffed and floated forward angrily "Well go on then. Hurry up!" she sobbed.

"Myrtle you've got it all backwards. I want your help with something!" Pansy beamed up at the ghost who was looking down at her suspiciously.

"Help? With what?" Myrtle now seemed slightly cheered at the idea of being of use to somebody.

"There's a party tomorrow night, but no-ones invited you have they? Would you like to get back at them?"

"A party? What sort?"

"Halloween, they just don't want you hanging around anymore. So what do you say? Will you help me or should I just go ask Peeves?" Pansy looked at her fingernails as if to seem more casual.

"Oh I'll help, what do I have to do?" Myrtle asked with much enthusiasm.

"Well… how well do you know the pipes?" Pansy and Myrtle were now grinning at each other as they continued discussing plans.

---

"What do you have now?" Blaise asked as they walked out of the dungeon. Hermione had managed to avoid all contact with Draco for the whole class however he had been sitting behind her the whole time so she still felt rather uncomfortable.

"Ancient Runes, you?" Hermione knew Blaise didn't like Ancient Runes.

"History of Magic." Blaise made a motion like he was hanging himself then waved at Hermione as they went their separate ways. Before long a different set of footsteps joined rhythm with hers. She didn't even need to look to figure out whose they were.

"Hello." She sighed, seeing no other alternative.

"Nice day." Draco said as they passed by a window. It wasn't actually that nice a day – it was just beginning to snow so it was rather cold.

"I suppose." She shrugged as they walked into the classroom and took their seats at the back of the room side by side. The day's instructions were already on the board and Professor Ramming was giving Celtic Rune stones to each pair. He gave Hermione and Draco the last of the batch – a smooth oval shaped rune with an odd engraving. It almost looked like a tiger with no legs.

"I gave you two the hardest, after all you always seem to finish early." Ramming smiled at the pair and waddled back to his desk. Hermione sighed and prepared herself for the awkward silence that was sure to follow. And follow it did and Draco inspected the stone and Hermione flipped through the text book looking for the meaning.

"Ugh! It's not in here anywhere!" she complained then slammed the book shut "You find it!" she ordered and Draco reached for the text book. Hermione let out a little gasp and moved her arm away from his hand and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm just getting the book, keep your knickers on." He retorted and she blushed.

"Hurry up then." She replied though her voice was barely a mumble.

"What time are you and Blaise getting to the dance?" Draco asked and Hermione glanced at him in confusion but told him anyway.

"At seven, when it starts, why?" she asked suspiciously as Draco flipped mindlessly through the text book.

"Because I wanted to know." He replied casually. They sat in silence for another forty minutes, sneaking glances every few minutes as Hermione kept thinking about the Ball and the strange rune in front of her. Just one minute before the bell chimed for the end of lesson Draco passed the book back.

"It's a baby dragon-seal, Celtic symbol for change." He informed her and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"How'd you get that before me?" she questioned and read through the passage on the baby dragon-seal.

"Who knows? Maybe you're slipping." He joked and then the bell chimed and everyone started collecting his or her books.

"Hermione?" Draco called just as she turned around; she turned back a little so she could see him.

"What?" she asked, suddenly she was feeling a bit nervous.

"Save me a dance." He ordered as his trademark smirk appeared on his face. Hermione didn't respond she just hurried out of the classroom where Blaise was waiting patiently for her. She skipped dinner altogether that night – as did a whole bunch of seventh year girls who were apparently too nervous to eat – and went straight to her dorm to write to Ron and Harry about the Ball and see how they were faring. Anything to take her mind off the impending doom of tomorrow nights Halloween Ball.

---

**A/n – okay cookies time. This is to all the lovely reviewers who helped me hit 100! **

**Love2Love, Barn and Co (a good friend of mine), sixteen4ever, XLove-Hate-RelationshipX (extra thanks for the helpful comments along the way, I promise the next chapter will sort things out in the progress department), cyn23, TwilightRocks, RoryAceHayden147, One of the fallen, Emmaaaaa, Lk-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL, AranelLalaith, voldyismyfather, lost, tate4eva, Nightraze, I'm home, murtaghxblaiseyum, Leanora, DOESNOTUSEFANFICTIONANYMORE, Naturally Potter, .SeDuCtIvE, bringITback, BellaVision, Danica (another good friend of mine), WestieLover97, sexxydemon, ccha, ihatetosayitoldyouso, Bella2themax, obsessivepottercullendisorder, MeridethGlass (by the way sweetie a pregnant pause means a really long, rather awkward pause), AnimeMangaFreak, Siddyi**

**AND extra big choc chip cookie to Avanell who was actually reviewer 100 :) **

**Next chapter – Halloween high jinks and something you've all been waiting for. **

**P.S – anyone seen The Vampire Diaries? I'm fully in love with that series right now. **


	13. Magic Happens

**This chapter has amazing timing. Right near Halloween, how accidentally awesome is that! :)**

**Disclaimer – I don't own HP, one-day… maybe, or probably not. **

"One hour to go!" Lavender screeched as Ginny almost misaimed her Hair Curling hex.

"Keep still! I don't want to miss!" she begged then put the finishing touches to Lavenders hair that was now spiraling about in little ringlets.

"Oh isn't it exciting! We've never had a Halloween Ball before!" Lavender clapped her hands together in excitement. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"That's because you've never been a seventh year before."

"Well yes, but you are so lucky Ginny Weasley!" she sighed and Ginny looked confused.

"Because I'm going with Dean?" she questioned.

"Because you get to go next year! Twice in a row! It's so not fair!" she replied holding up her costume. Ginny held hers up too nodding thoughtfully at it.

"I don't really care, it's just a dumb dance. Are you sure this is good?" she questioned putting on her hat. Her hair was done up in a ponytail for the dance.

"It's perfect!" Lavender moved them both over to the mirror where they stood behind their costumes to have a better look. Ginny stood looking rather skinny behind her policewoman uniform. Lavenders mother had sent them both costumes and Ginny took the one that covered the most skin. Her uniform was blue and white with a matching blue and white hat.

"So what am I supposed to be again?"

"You're a policewoman, mum says they're like Muggle Auror's but instead of wands they use things called 'guns'. Whatever that means." Lavender rolled her eyes and Ginny shrugged, she liked the sound of that anyway.

"And you are?"

"I'm a belly dancer obviously!" Lavender said with a smug tone of voice. Her costume was pink and orange with several shiny beads attached to her skirt. Her shirt was much different to the one Ginny wore, it was made to show off belly's but Ginny couldn't help but think it was a bit extreme.

"And that it?"

"They dance!" she replied gleefully and sashayed her hips as the skirt jangled in time with her hips. Ginny couldn't help but crack a smile now, she was getting just the smallest bit of excitement over this dance. She had almost forgotten her original mission – almost, but not quite. Whether it looked like fun or not, she had to remember her priorities and keeping an eye on Hermione and Draco was at the top of that list.

---

In the waiting area stood Dean, Seamus, Neville and Luna who had arrived early. Dean was dressed as a soccer player with muddy knees and red and gold socks charmed so the colours switched every few minutes. Seamus dressed as someone her claimed to be a famous Muggle musician to which Neville had replied 'what's an ACDC?" to which Seamus and Dean couldn't stop laughing at for ten minutes straight. Neville himself had chosen to come to the Ball as a plumber, with a great big plunger in hand.

"Well my gran thinks they're an important part of Muggle society." He replied weakly when Dean had asked what in the world he was. Luna however was in the most unusual costume – which they really should have expected. She was dressed up as a sunflower. She had a headband with enchanted yellow petals attached to circle around her head, the rest of her costume was artfully ripple into triangle sleeves and a baggy skirt. It was one long dark green dress with a light green pattern of vines circling along it. They would have looking off had everyone not been dressed strangely tonight.

"Here comes Lav and Ginny." Dean pointed to where the pair was now running down the corridors past the other seventh years and their dates.

"Are we late?" Ginny asked holding onto to Deans shoulder for support while she got her breath back.

"No, we don't leave for a few minutes, what took you guys?" Seamus asked as Lavender forced her arm through his with a sultry smile all ready to go.

"One of Ginny's charms went bonkers and the hair brush started attacking us!" she informed them and everyone burst out laughing. Luna however seemed to get the joke much later than the others and commenced her own manic laughter, which made everyone stop and stare at her.

"Charming hair brushes can be hard sometimes." Neville tried to stick up for Ginny.

"Hard? Please I could do that in my sleep!" Dean scoffed and Ginny kicked him very hard in the ankle, so hard he doubled over in pain.

"Hello Hermione." Luna smiled as Hermione was walking by them. Hermione stopped where she was walking, Blaise was next to her.

"Hi Luna, hello everyone." She looked at them all with a friendly smile.

"Nice costume Hermione, what are you meant to be?" Seamus asked and Lavender just glared at him – a look which made Hermione wonder what would happen if looks really could kill.

"A matron from the 1600's, my dad gave me the idea from a book he gave me." She explained. She was wearing a simple white dress with a long brown shirt over the top of it tied together with a fancy red ribbon.

"And what are you?" Lavender asked with much bitterness in her voice and Blaise looked up looking taken back.

"Uh… I'm… what am I again?" he turned to Hermione looking slightly anxious.

"You're on safari, it's sort of like a gamekeeper but much more professional." She explained meaning no offence to Hagrid. He was wearing a lightweight jacket, matching pants and a green sweatband on his forehead and wrists.

"Daddy's told me about them, don't some of them hunt animals?" Luna asked and Hermione nodded.

"But they have permits so they never hunt more than they should." Hermione assured her and before anyone else could speak Professor McGonagall's voice broke through all the other conversations.

"Seventh years, guests, if you'd all be quite for a moment we'll explain the rules for the Ball." She boomed then waited for everyone to settle down. At that point Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape had levitated what looked like small bits of cardboard paper to either side of McGonagall.

"The rules are the same as any trip to Hogsmeade and the event itself will take place inside the Three Broomsticks which has been decorated for the occasion. You will only be permitted to go outside if someone else goes with you and there will be no inappropriate behavior!" she eyed down the Slytherins and Snape rolled his eyes at her.

"Now if you'll all kindly separate into two rows – boys in one, girls in the other – now if you please!" she yelled and everyone hurried into the right lines.

"As you pass you will take _one_ mask each, and do not roll your eyes Parkinson." Snape added then before the students at the front could take their masks McGonagall held her hand up for them to stop.

"If the heads could please take the lead and make sure everyone gets to the Three Broomsticks safely, please make your way up here now." She finished and the teachers went to the sides as the students waited for Draco and Hermione to get to the front. Hermione slipped out of line where she was sandwiched in-between Luna and Lavender. As she stepped through the snow she saw a head a white blonde hair walking along at the same pace she was. She quickened her pace so she wouldn't have to face him – she'd even left her dorm before he got back from dinner.

"This way please!" Hermione yelled quickly reaching for a mask but unfortunately the one she wanted was taken before she could get it "Hey, give that ba…" she stopped talking when she Draco examining the mask carefully before he gave it back.

"If you keep that thing on I might just have to take your photo." He said and Hermione couldn't help but agree with him. The masks were all very odd and were not exactly attractive pieces of headwear. Hermione couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him, even though he wasn't even wearing a costume.

"Your piles over there." She pointed to his pile and as soon as he turned around she began walking away with the other seventh year girls. Hermione was so glad for her mask, otherwise she'd never be able to hide her blush from him.

---

About an hour into the ball and people finally started loosening up. Lavender had even convinced Seamus into a quick dance. Lucky for him there were no waltzes and it was Muggle music but unfortunately for him it was some very generic sounding pop-rock number that Lavender seemed very excited about. Hermione and Blaise even danced although their dance was a bit more casual than the other couples. Most of the others were jumping up and down with their hands waving about in the air whereas Blaise and Hermione mainly just swayed in time with the beat.

"What's up with Snape?" Blaise wondered after another song came to slow finish. Hermione looked over to where Snape was and he seemed to be in a deeply serious discussion with Draco. Hermione looked away quickly and saw that Flitwick was setting something up that looked like a stage.

"Wonder what that's all about?" she said as what seemed like trap doors appeared out of nowhere. It almost seemed like he was setting up some kind of game.

"Guess it's some Halloween thing?" Blaise shrugged then stood up "Want something to drink?" he asked and once Hermione told him what to get he set off into the sea of dancing seventh year witches and wizards. Hermione sat peacefully for a moment then heard some high pitched shrieking. It was Eva, the girl that Draco had accepted to go to the Ball with. She was in tears and was sprouting enormous zits all over her face and arms and looked like she could hardly move due to the pain. It took Hermione about two seconds to understand who would have done such a horrid thing. Just as Eva was ushered out of the room and everyone resumed their dancing Blaise came back with their drinks. As he made to hand Hermione her drink he was knocked from behind and the red punch drink spilled all down the front of Hermione's costume.

"Oh dear, now that looks dreadful… or does it look better?" Pansy laughed so loudly it sounded painfully forced. She walked away expecting her gang of girls to follow however they hung back and one pulled out her wand. Hermione too, pulled hers out just in case one of them tried something. Thanks to the DA there was nothing they could do that she couldn't return to them or defend herself from.

"Sorry, she's been a huge cow lately." One of the girls said looking genuinely sympathetic.

"We reckon it's because she's jealous of you. But don't worry, she'll get over herself sooner or later." Another one added and the girl who had pulled out her wand muttered a few words and some of the bad spillage dried up.

"Er… thanks." Hermione said, extremely surprised that they would do that for her.

"Don't mention it." She grinned and the girls walked off to meet back up with the oblivious Pansy. Hermione took a minute to regain her composure, and blink back the tears of humiliation that threatened her eyes.

"I'd give you a jacket… but mines all I've got, sorry." Blaise scratched his head and Hermione just smiled knowingly at him and folded her arms. It was still plain that there was a great big red stain on her dress though. At the moment a something big, heavy and green was thrown into her lap. Draco walked by and off her look of shock.

"It's to cover up that thing on your dress, it's making the rest of the Slytherins look bad." He added quickly before anyone asked questions – anyone being Blaise in this situation.

"Oh… okay." She replied then pulled the robe around her. It was huge on her, but warm so she kept it on much to Blaise's discontent.

"Students! Everyone! Over here please!" Flitwick said, practically jumping up and down with excitement. Everyone ceased dancing and walked over to the front of the stage.

"Now we've set up an activity for everyone to take part in, so please partner up and then come up onto the stage!" he instructed and Blaise reached for Hermione's hand. Before he could take it though she was pulled away into the crowd. She looked up, completely disoriented and realized her face was mere centimeters away from Draco's.

"What are you doing?" she spat in the lowest whisper she could manage. He looked down at her, a playful teasing lingered in his eyes.

"You said I could have a dance, since I cant have that, I'll have this instead." He said releasing his grip on her arm. She looked like she was about to argue then though the better of it and sighed. She then did something the Draco didn't expect her to do. She slid her arm through his and looked up him with an indifferent expression.

"Lets go to the stage then." She ordered and they walked up to the stage, looking every bit like a couple. Flitwick ushered them to stand over the first trap door, which was only meters away from the second.

"Okay, we have our demonstrations! Now on the count of three I well send them into a carefully constructed maze that you will have to get through as a team and then you'll be sent back up through this trap door here! Understood! Wonderful!" he beamed then looked back at Hermione and Draco who were arm in arm on the trap door.

"Ready? One, two, three!" he flicked his wand and the door literally disappeared and Hermione felt herself falling. Draco quickly wrapped his arms around her middle as they fell, they landed on what felt like snowy wood. A second later and they both realized they had landed with Hermione on top of him. It was an underground corridor, and the roof had been charmed to seem as though it had really been snowing.

"Did McGonagall tell you about this? I don't think I was listening." Draco said, quickly lighting up the tip of his wand and looking at their surroundings. As soon as he lit his wand the wall to the left of him burst open and a dozen huntsman spiders came crawling out and started crawling up him.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked then lit her wand and saw the spiders.

"Get – Them – Off!" Draco said through a closed mouth, apparently too scared to open it just in case a spider crawled in.

"Er… hang on a minute, oh I get it now!" Hermione pointed her wand at the wall instead of Draco and muttered what sounded like _Illusion! _

"Hermione!" Draco yelled and then fell over backwards as the spiders disappeared in great puff of blue smoke.

"The walls triggered, I bet there's a whole load of things like that, and we'd better hurry up." She said and began leading the way with her wand at the ready.

"It's always confused me." He suddenly said.

"What has?" Hermione asked conversationally, finding it wasn't as awkward as she thought it would be, being paired up with Draco and all.

"How you always seem to know things. Even I'd had to have looked that Illusion thing up, but you didn't even need to think about it." He said and Hermione stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Are you being nice?" she said with a smile creeping on her lips.

"I'm not sure, might be a Halloween thing." He replied though Hermione could see he was smiling through the light of his wand.

"Well, it's rather scary, but I don't just know these things… besides I have to know these things." She shrugged but did not keep on walking.

"Why should you have to know everything?" Draco asked, leaning carefully against the wall in fear that it might just explode again.

"Because Harry's the hero, Ron's the one who'll always back him up… and I wasn't the smart one then what would I be able to do for them?" she asked, not really expecting an answer. Sighing she walked off again and Draco quickened up to walk alongside her.

"You like fighting, using hexes and stuff. Doing it all first hand?" he asked.

"Well yes, but what does that have to do with - "

"Then do it, you shouldn't have to do something just because you have to, you just do what you like, to hell what Potty and the Weasel say." He advised and she stared at him with her mouth open wide.

"I've always really wanted to be an Auror, but that's what Harry and Ron want too… so it'd be weird if I went for it too." She shook her head and found that Draco was now walking and he was in the lead instead of her this time.

"Well stuff them I say, just go for it. Hell I might even see you there if this whole war thing lets up soon." He said with a hint of sorrow in his voice. Hermione then understood. Draco wanted to be an Auror, but while his father was a Death Eater there was no way that could ever happen. It was grossly unfair and she couldn't bear to watch him miss out on his career just like that.

"Draco…" she began but was cut off when the roof above her burst open and a blanket that had been hexed to act like a real life ghost was now chasing after Hermione.

"Run!" Draco yelled and grabbed her hand and pulled her along as they ran through the hall. Walls exploded as they ran and various enchanted objects attempted to follow them however some just went back inside the walls and waited for the next group of students. Suddenly a light flashed from above them and they found themselves standing on the stage, puffing heavily with their hands still firmly grasped together.

"Bravo! Very fast indeed!" Flitwick clapped happily and they found the entire room was empty apart from them. Hermione looked around and wondered how everyone else was faring since that room was quite well done as far as haunted hallways went.

"Professor Snape?" Draco called and the man in question turned around.

"Yes Draco?" he replied curtly.

"Can Granger and I go get some fresh air?" he asked and Snape nodded. Hands still together they ran outside, Hermione couldn't help herself anymore – she was having too much fun. Draco let her hand go and they walking out into the cold air already their breathing turned into white mist around them.

"I'm going to say something that if you repeat to anyone I will hex you into oblivion." He warned and Hermione waited patiently, highly doubting that Draco would follow through with the threat even if she did tell.

"I'm not allowed to go home these holidays." He said and she walked over to where he stood under a street lamp.

"Why?" she asked.

"Mother says that its not safe, I think that the Dark Lord is having a gathering or something… I'm not really sure. But I can't stay at Hogwarts either." He sighed.

"Where will you go?" she asked, curious but sympathetic.

"Don't know yet… I was hoping Snape could help out but he said he won't." Draco sighed and then Hermione gathered up her courage.

"Come back with me then." She offered.

"What?"

"Back to my house, my parents wont mind, I can write them tonight and just tell them I'm being back a friend who has no where else to go." She explained.

"Hermione…"

"No, you're coming back with and that's final."

"I really shouldn't…"

"And don't try to get out of it, I've made up my mind." She grinned up at him and something in his eyes said that he'd made up his mind too.

"Okay then, promise you wont tell anyone about what I say next?" he said this time sounding a little anxious. Or as anxious as Draco would allow himself to sound, Hermione nodded. This time she held out her pinky finger to make the promise solid. He hesitated but took it anyway and then once his pinky was firmly around hers her pulled her towards him, bent his head down and kissed her. Seconds passed and she regained the feeling in her legs and she was kissing him back. And with that, the clock struck twelve and the night was complete. 


	14. A Little Confusion

**I am so grateful to your responses to the last chapter and I hope this ones good too! Sorry for the month-long stretch by the way. I've been busy juggling NaNoWriMo with exams and all that jazz but updates will be much quicker now! **

**Disclaimer – I can't express how much I DON'T own Harry Potter. **

"We should get back." Hermione said once their lips finally parted. Though neither could deny enjoying the brief but entrancing kiss, it did bring up a few questions for both parties to answer.

"We don't _have _to." Draco was now holding onto the fabric of her sleeve. She didn't have a reply for that but kept her eyes on the floor. They could hear Flitwick rejoicing inside the room as another group made it back.

"Yes we do." Hermione said back, grateful for the lucky distraction.

"Well fine, but if you get bored…"

"Draco!" she shrieked, suddenly as red as Ginny's hair and acting very oddly. She looked around as though she expected to see people listening in, however the colour did not fade from her face. A smile appeared on Draco's face – a genuine smile.

"Gather round, gather round!" they heard Flitwick saying from inside the Three Broomsticks. Without another word or glance they both slipped back into the room, unnoticed by the now full room. Each of the students looked equally terrified and somewhat angry as Flitwick grinned down at them.

"Wasn't that fun!" he said clapping ferociously. There was an incredibly harsh silence when a loud 'No!' could be heard from Lavender who was covered in green goo and a ghost blanket. Apparently Ginny, Dean and Seamus couldn't find this funny enough and were having trouble hiding it.

"Right then, well its seems Professor McGonagall would like to instruct you on your last activity of the night!" and with that McGonagall helped him off the stage and cleared her throat to talk to the mass of students in front of her.

"The final activity involves the masks that I trust you all kept after acquiring them earlier this evening." She gave a very pointed glance at Neville who was now rushing around the room looking for his mask.

"You will divide on opposite sides of the room, boys on one side and girls on the other – I'll leave you time now to sort yourselves." She nodded and everyone immediately began scrambling to their assigned walls to stand with their friends. Hermione was pulled along by Padma who seemed sympathetic that Hermione was standing all alone. Truth be told she had grown rather used to her own company since Harry and Ron had left for their adventure. Thinking of Harry and Ron made her stomach twitch with unease. Like someone had poured cement down her throat. She was still torn between blaming her parents and staying at Hogwarts or blaming herself and leaving. But now she had a third option, which for the most part was due to her new relationship with Malfoy, and she hated this fact. Hermione Granger liked things simple and explainable not foggy and confusing. Being the smartest witch doesn't help out in all situations, which was something she was coming to learn over the past month.

"Hi." A very sour voice greeted Hermione and Padma; they both turned around and saw Ginny glaring at them very angrily.

"Oh… hello." Padma replied clearly intimidated by her friend.

"I suppose we should put our masks on now…" Hermione said as she slid on her very finely decorated gold and pink mask. Padma had on a green and blue glittery mask and Ginny's consisted of various shades of green. The tension was temporarily forgotten by the silliness of glittering masks. Ginny couldn't help herself and started to laugh a small awkward laugh and Padma and Hermione burst out laughing.

"You look demented!" Ginny said, pointing at Padma who stuck her tongue out.

"So do you!" Padma replied defensively then looked at Hermione "so does she!" she added and Hermione went as pink as her mask, which caused even more laughter. While they were catching their breath Lavender skipped up wearing a very bright yellow mask that made her outfit look horrible. Her arrival only started up a whole new round of laughter. After a few minutes Hermione looked around the room while wiping mirth from her eyes.

"Where is Luna?" she said suddenly sounding rather concerned.

"I'm not sure… come to think of it I haven't seen her since I got out of the haunted hallway…" Padma seemed even more concerned than Hermione since Luna was a good friend of hers and they were from the same house.

"Oh she's fine, she's with that man from the Ministry." Said Lavender.

"WHAT?" Hermione shrieked.

"I said Luna's fine, what's the drama?" Lavender seemed utterly confused now.

"The _drama_ is that the Ministry can only mean bad news! Why didn't you say this earlier?" Ginny said, jumping to Luna's defense.

"I didn't think it was important!"

"Oh right it's not worth caring about if it's not all about y-"

"LADIES!" McGonagall's voice broke through the argument. The four girls looked around the room to see that all eyes were on them and the room was now completely silent and the lights had been dimmed.

"Are you quite done? Or would you like us to wait longer?" She glared at them in a way that was all too familiar to Hermione – she'd seen it many times with Harry and Ron.

"Sorry Professor." They all said in unison looking awkwardly at each other.

----

"Very well now you are all sorted I trust you remember the dancing you learnt for the Yule Ball in your fourth year?" McGonagall asked and the collective groan of annoyance was her only answer.

"Now there are no winners or losers in this, however as it's your last year you all deserve a bit of fun, I'll turn the music on!" Flitwick said happily then with a flick of his wand a happy upbeat jazz-like number started playing. At once students began weaving in and out and switching partners when the right part of the song came on. However it was very difficult to know whom was your partner and with the masks on and the room darkened the way it was it was really quite mystical. After almost two minutes of dancing everyone was far too busy having fun to notice that Pansy had snuck out of the room. Hermione wasn't too sure but she had a feeling she's already danced with Draco but he didn't know it was her – which made her feel a little bit better. She knew it was inevitable and she'd have to face him sooner or later but she much preferred later. She shook her head as she once again twirled into her new partner and began the same old dance steps with an unknown partner. She was grinned wildly however as the song neared its end everyone took a moment to calm themselves while the next song slowly began. However a certain sound was interrupting the song – it almost sounded like crying.

"Does anyone else hear that?" one Hufflepuff boy asked and everyone went silent and started searching for the source of the sound.

"It sounds like it's in the roof!" Seamus yelled and everyone immediately started panicking and the teachers illuminated their wands and ushered everyone to stay quiet.

"No, it's getting louder!" a Ravenclaw girl said and everyone slowly began drawing out their wands, the atmosphere grew tense.

"Wait a minute…" Hermione said and then Ginny finished her sentence for her.

"It's just moaning Myrtle!" she yelled and everyone seemed to calm down. The teachers looked relieved but slightly annoyed and everyone started moving around the room freely again – not really in the mood to dance anymore.

"EW!" A Ravenclaw girl standing near Hermione shrieked and lifted her feat up to reveal water leaking rapidly through the floors.

'Yuck!" more leaks in another part of the room, and soon Myrtle's crying was drowned out by the sound of running water. Very fast running water. Without warning the wood gave way and water was shooting out from the floor and everyone was screaming and trying to get out as fast as humanly possible. Once all the students were outside and away from the Three Broomsticks, Snape decided to put some order back into the evening.

"Whoever pulled this ill-advised prank step forward now or we will investigate each and every one of you personally, NOW!" several of the students were now crying out of both fear and the fact that Halloween had just been ruined.

"I know who did it." The infamous mumble of Myrtle's broke through all the chatter and tears and the seventh years made way as the ghost floated to the front of the very wet crowd.

"Very well, who exactly got you to do this Myrtle?" Snape questioned with a very impatient sigh as he placed his sallow hand on his hip.

"It was her, that horrible, horrible girl!" Myrtle pointed her transparent finger right at Hermione who just stood there in shock.

"What, how would I have pulled this? I was here the whole night, not to mention I don't speak to you, Myrtle – no offense – but I couldn't have done this!" Hermione motioned to the flooding building that was now being sustained by Flitwick.

"Excuses!" Myrtle yelped with tears appearing once more in her eyes.

"I'm telling the truth!" Hermione yelled back, yet no one would step forward to vouch for her behalf. In that moment Hermione realized the only person cruel enough to go through with this – Pansy Parkinson.

"This is a ridiculous statement, Granger was here the entire night so unless you have some provable claims I suggest you go back to your toilet." Snape said as he narrowed his eyes at the miserable ghost. Myrtle shook her head furiously then dived into the snow leaving only whispering students in her wake.

"Well that was weird." Said Draco who had made his way to Hermione's side while the crowd was distracted – neither noticed Pansy watching them carefully in the distance.

"That's not really like Myrtle to make up such stories… or at least I'm fairly certain she wouldn't." Hermione couldn't really back up her statement as her and Myrtle never really got along even when she spent hours in the girls bathroom mixing potions in her second year.

"No I mean that Snape stuck his neck out for you." Draco corrected her.

"Oh, well yes, that too." Hermione knew that Snape hated her, Slytherin or not, so she couldn't imagine what would inspire such good manners on his part.

"Draco," Snape called seconds after Hermione spoke, startling them both "a word please." His tone indicated it wasn't really a request. Draco took one quick look at Hermione who carefully avoided his gaze then walked over to Professor Snape.

"Yes, sir?" he tried to act as innocent as possible. Snape had already led him away from hearing distance of the crowd.

"You do understand the Dark Lords anger with you?"

"Yes, sir." A bitter struggle awoke once again in his stomach.

"And have you done what I've asked of you yet?"

"No, sir," then off the angry look on Snape's face "I mean, not yet… but I'm… I'm working on it." Draco kept his face unreadable as he lied.

"Good, because his plans will take action very soon and we need that information."

"Yes, sir."

"You may go Draco, oh and your mother wishes to know where you plan to stay on the holidays?" Snape watched Draco's facial expressions carefully this time.

"Zabini's house." Draco knew that would come back to haunt him, but that didn't matter to him right now. And with that he walked back to the crowd where people were already walking back to the castle. Hermione had left long ago.

---

Hermione sat with her knees pulled tight to her chest. It seemed she really couldn't go a year at Hogwarts without something bad happening. The fire was the only noise in the room besides her breathing. Suddenly she heard a familiar hooting noise and realized an owl was waiting impatiently at the window. She'd never seen the animal before but the letter was clearly meant for her eyes. She tore it open and began reading at once.

_Dear Hermione, _

_We've finally found a you-know-what. It's a locket, the only trouble is we don't know how to open it – reckon you could find what you can about it? We tried drawing it for you – well Ron did so I hope it looks okay. Also we've found a lead so don't send any letters yet, its way too risky. We'll be checking out the Lovegood's so if Luna's home for the holidays you can let her know to expect visitors. Hope Hogwarts is good and that The Ferret isn't giving you severe brain damage._

_Love Harry and Ron._

_P.S – Ron's being a moody git lately, you're the feelings expert so what's wrong with him?_

She folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope so she could put it with the others. She didn't know what she could possibly write back – whenever she was allowed to write back of course. She thought it over – 'oh hi Harry and Ron, Hogwarts is normal and I just so happen to have made out with the ferret, hope the Horcrux hunt is going well'. Then a second owl floated in the window with her copy of the Prophet. She was so busy reading it that she didn't noticed that Draco had come back already. He walked slowly up to the couch wondering why she hadn't turned around.

"Hermione?" he said but she didn't respond so walked around so he could see her face "What's wrong?" he said right away, finally able to ask her that question.

"Nothing." She sniffed, her cheeks already a rosy pink.

"You're a shocking liar." He joked then snatched the paper from her hands and read the headline – _Mad-Eye found dead, Ted Tonks missing, feared dead._

He then understood why she was crying – she was crying for other people. He didn't really understand how she found the time to be so worried about other people when her life was in danger every minute she was at Hogwarts.

"You're amazing, you know that?" he smiled at her, hoping to lift her spirits a little.

"So amazing that I just sit around here while innocent wizards are dying." She shook her head like he was crazy for suggesting such a thing.

"It's got nothing to do with you, it's not your fault."

"Stop it." She said, almost as though she was begging.

"Stop what?" Draco asked feeling a little bit stung.

"Being kind, it's confusing me and I can't deal with you right now."

"And what about before, you didn't seem that confused about that." He raised his eyebrows, clearly content with the memory.

"I don't mean that it wasn't nice, I just mean it's given me too much to think about! And being the smartest witch doesn't help because there's no spell I know that will give me the answers I need! So maybe I wasn't confused then, but I am now!" she finished in a huff with tears in her eyes.

Without so much as thinking about it he took her hands in his as she calmed herself down. As tears began falling down her cheeks she leant into Draco's chest for a few moments. Both of them were too happy to question it. She rested her head inches away from his heart which was beating just a little bit fast and the heat from his face was proof enough that he'd never really done this before either.

"This probably isn't doing much for your confusion." He joked and she moved her head so she could see his face clearly.

"This wasn't about my confusion." She smiled, and relief flooded through Draco when he realized that he had successfully made her feel better.

"You're okay then?" he absently put a hand around her waist, to support her better.

"Sometimes I guess its okay to not know it all, in fact its kind of… nice… not knowing what will happen next." She stated and slowly but surely their faces moved closer together and their lips met, then gracefully became a soft kiss. It had none of the rush like feeling of the first – it was comfortable and warm – it was a certain kiss. At that moment a green flash appeared at the fireplace. Hermione and Draco look quickly to see what exactly was happening but were still in the intimate position of before. Before Draco or the cloaked figure that stood in front of the fireplace could say anything Hermione let out an unsuspected shriek of shock.

---

**To be continued since I'm so very evil. Guesses are very welcome as to who the new guest is and I promise a new chapter very soon since my fanfic break is officially over. I'm in full story mode and my attention is on this for now. :)**

**18 days till Christmas – which is just in time for the Misplaced Christmas chapter! Hurrah! **


	15. One of Those Days

**Oh it was great to hear all your thoughts on the last chapter, I only hope you'll find this one just as good! I still don't own Harry Potter, but neither do any of you SO THERE. Bon appetit…y, know…for your eyes. **

"You-!"

"This isn't –!" Draco said quickly.

"Get you're bloody-!"

"Let me explai-!" Hermione shrieked.

"You get your filthy mitts off Hermione!" Ron Weasley shouted as he emerged from the fireplace. This was not at all the greeting he was expecting. He assumed he would floo into the Head's common room to see Hermione with her head in a book like usual. Instead he saw Hermione wrapped up in the arms of the Slytherin he hated the most.

"Ron, please calm down for a moment." Hermione spoke as softly as possible but Ron was looking directly at Draco with hatred in his eyes, as was Draco – for an entirely different reason.

"Something you want, Weasel?" Draco said, already back to his generic drawl.

"I want you to leave Hermione alone, whatever you've done to her!" Ron yelled, his ears going very red indeed. Hermione wanted to interject but knew now was not the right time to add fuel to the fire.

"I haven't done anything to her!" Draco said defensively.

"Oh that's a bucket of bollocks!" Ron walked over to Hermione and forcefully grabbed her face.  
"Ronald!" Hermione shrieked at the sudden movement.

"Let go you moron, you're hurting her." Draco warned inching closer just in case.

"What've you done? Used some kind of potion?" Ron asked feeling Hermione's forehead for any signs of a fever.

"Like I'd do -!"

"Oh so then you used a confusion charm?" Ron seemed to be clutching at straws now.

"Like I'd do something so stu -!" Draco clutched his wand angrily as Hermione freed herself from Ron's frantic clutches.

"Hypnosis hex?"

"How stupid do you think -!"

"Then that leaves one thing!" Ron turned his back to Hermione and pointed his accusing glare at Draco instead.

"Ronald for Merlin's sake you're acting silly." Hermione said in her most Mrs. Weasley sounding voice.

"You've used the Imperius curse!" said Ron.

"You may not have noticed but I don't need magic to get a girl to like me!" Draco said with rising impatience. He looked at Hermione just in time to see a confirming blush consume her cheeks.

"No, sometimes they're just thick!" Ron spat.

"Ronald!" Hermione yelled, feeling rather hurt by his accusations.

"Well what were you thinking Hermione? Snuggling the enemy!?" Ron asked, clearly upset that he was no longer the closest boy in her life.

"Oh really Ron do you need to say it like that?" Hermione raised her voice to match his and to show him that she wasn't going to sit here and get yelled at.

"Yes I do, because honestly I think you've gone bug shagging mental!" Ron said and this time Draco pushed him away from Hermione with a lot more force than needed.

"I think that's enough _Ronald_." Draco said, his voice suddenly edging on dangerous.

"Oh like your so high and mighty!" Ron scoffed.

"I'm not the one taking out my pathetic problems on a girl, you flipping idiot." Draco retorted and Hermione couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't anger Ron.

"I'm taking her back with me!" Ron yelled "Where she belongs!"

"Over my dead body!" Draco replied.

"Well I can hope so!" said Ron.

"Ron if you're going to be like this then just go away!" Hermione ordered.

"No way am I leaving you alone with this ferret!" Ron crossed his arms.

"Weasel." Draco muttered under his breath.

"Both of you just grow up!" Hermione said as both boys turned to look at her.

"He started it." Ron mumbled clearly ashamed.

"I don't give a damn who started it, I'm going to bed so you two just… sort it out!" Hermione yelled and stormed upstairs knowing full well how things were going to happen. Sure enough as soon as she closed her bedroom door more yelling ensued with names Hermione hadn't heard called in her whole life.

"Boys!" Hermione said angrily as she collapsed onto her bed to wait out the argument.

---

An hour later after the conversation died down Hermione sat upright on her bed, suddenly a bit scared of why the noise stopped. Just as she decided to go downstairs and investigate a knock at the bathroom door sounded.

"Hermione open the door." Draco said and Hermione waited a minute to calm herself before pulled her bathroom door open. To her relief it was only Draco standing on the other side – she wasn't prepared to tell Ron the truth yet. Hermione caught Draco's eyes and then realized hers were swimming with tears all of the sudden. Hesitantly he reached his hand out and placed it on her cheek. It was warm, however her features softened as she slipped her hand over his to keep it there.

"Of all the things that could've happened today…" Hermione sniffled as Draco pulled her in for a hug. The closeness of their bodies seemed to no longer matter as Hermione's arms linked around his middle. Draco sighed, enjoying the warmth as he placed a hand in her hair and the other around her waist.

"Don't cry." He said, it was a gentle request.

"I'm not crying!" Hermione said, a smile grin broke out across her lips.

"Good." Draco grinned too and loosened his hold on her. Then as though it were second nature they kissed again. This was more rushed as she started leading him into the room and he shut the bathroom door behind them. They rotated and this time Hermione had her back up against the door and he was kissing her neck. Just as Hermione's mind started to drift away and Draco's began thinking of less innocent things Hermione spoke.

"Er, Draco… this may not be the best time to ask, but what did you do with Ron?" she questioned and Draco groaned and their moment was over.

"You've got a valid point Hermione." Draco laughed as he sat down on her bed with a hand on his head massaging his head in annoyance.

"About what?"

"It not being the best time to say that!" he reminded her.

"Oh… sorry." Hermione answered sheepishly and sat down next to him, their legs touching at the intimate closeness.

"Yeah well, we talked it out, and he's sleeping on the couch now." He informed her and she nodded.

"So you didn't… hex him or anything did you?" she asked quickly.

"No… I knew you wouldn't like it." He turned to face her, his face was void of anything but a rare expression that only Hermione ever saw.

"You're going to leave with him aren't you?" he said suddenly sounding heartbroken.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked sounding extremely confused.

"'I'm taking her back with me.'" Draco said in his personal impression of Ronald Weasley, which sounded an awful lot like an emasculated duck.

"Oh that… I haven't honestly given it any thought… I forgot all about that." Hermione said, suddenly her thoughts all changed and she felt that horrid confusion sneaking back up on her.

"But you would yeah? I know how that Gryffindor loyalty thing goes, mates come first and all that." Draco tried to sound indifferent about it, but utterly failed.

"Draco…" Hermione didn't quite know what to say.

"It's alright Hermione." He placed his hand on hers and squeezed it gently. He leant forward and kissed her sweetly on the cheek.

"'night then." He whispered then left the room without making so much as a thump where he walked. Hermione bit her lips and began thinking about everything Ron had told her. She hardly got any sleep that night.

---

Draco left the Great Hall with two plates full of food that morning, so he could bring food back for Hermione. As he left the high-pitched screams of Pansy could be heard behind him. He quickly hurried his steps into what was nearly a run. He ignored all the odd looks he was receiving as he ran fearfully down the halls.

"Draaaco!" Pansy called and he stopped in his tracks.

"Yes?" he asked as his teeth ground together as he put one plate on his arm trying to balance them both.

"Mother wants you over during the holidays, so you can stay in my room!" she fluttered her eyelashes as him hoping to be in some way alluring.

"Yeah sorry Pans, I've got things to do." He shot her down.

"But Draco… it'll just be the two of us…" she ran her fingers up his forearm and he rolled his eyes.

"Pansy, I don't like you," he said clearly and removed her hand from his arm "Move on." He demanded and she was left standing in the hall feeling very shocked indeed. He continued his way back up to the Head's tower, not wanting to give Ron too much free time alone with Hermione. On his way he saw something that almost made him stop in relief. Blaise and Ginny talking and laughing together by a window. He had not expected that at all, however he almost felt happy for them. But he still felt he was much luckier than the both of them combined. He could feel it in his gut – today was going to be a good day.

---

"NO BLOODY WAY!" Ron shouted and Hermione sighed as though she were dealing with a first year that was starting fights.

"Ron it's the only answer that'll keep Harry safe as well, I've already sent him a letter." She explained and he shook his head again.

"I'm not doing it!" he stomped his foot.

"Am I interrupting something?" Draco asked as he walked through the portrait hole.

"YES!" Ron screamed at him as his face went even redder.

"Good." Draco grinned and sat down on the armchair, feeling rather smug.

"Ron it's your fault, you left him all alone then expect me to just go back with you because you feel bad?" she placed her hands on her hips and gave him an exasperated look.

"I told you it was the necklace!" Ron replied.

"Okay, so you got moody jewelry and you expect me to go back with you?" Hermione corrected her last question.

"Hermione I can't… I'll go mental!" he looked at Draco then at Hermione with a very much 'come on' look about him.

"Hang on, what's he blubbering about?" Draco suddenly looked and sounded alarmed.

"I told him about you coming home for the holidays with me and since he won't allow it, I suggested that he come too – that way everyone's happy." Hermione explained, her eyes begged Draco to agree.

"I'm not happy!" Ron added.

"Yeah me, neither, can't we just leave him here?" Draco asked hopefully.

"No, that's the other thing – tell him Ron." Hermione ordered.

"The ministry's coming here, probably with Death Eaters, apparently you-know-who thinks the school could be a little more… pure." Ron looked as sickened as Hermione felt.

"Do you know this for sure?" Draco stood up, suddenly all business.

"Yeah, we went to the Ministry about a week ago… they've already got a bunch of innocent Muggle born's locked up in Azkaban about to get the Dementor's kiss." Ron shivered grossly as the memory.

"And you waited a week to tell someone?" Draco clenched his fists.

"I've been kind of busy, saving the world and all that!" Ron said in a huff.

"Oh right, big red haired hero to the rescue!" Draco spat.

"Shut it, both of you!" Hermione said looking out the window. Outside the window, walking up to the school was the Minister of Magic followed by a masked man and woman and Lucius Malfoy who was looking very somber.

"What is it Hermione?" Draco asked, walking over to where she stood.

"Looks like the holidays are starting a bit earlier this year." Hermione grabbed onto Draco's hand for support knowing full well the Ministry could not mean good news.

"That's it." Draco turned to face Ron.

"What?" Ron grumbled not looking at Draco but at where his hand and Hermione's were linked so casually.

"Pack your trash, we're getting out of here." He ordered with a daring smile. With a flick of their wands Hermione and Draco had their suitcases floating down stairs to meet them.

"Okay so, here's the plan." Draco said in a hushed whisper. As he continued talking Hermione's eyes widened and even Ron seemed to look guilty for just a few moments.

"Got it?" Draco double-checked.

"Draco…" Hermione whispered.

"No Hermione, this is the best way, you got it?" Draco pleaded with her.

"…Yes." She finally agreed and she shrunk their entire luggage (or the very little of what Ron had) and pushed it all into a single backpack.

"Lets go." Ron said, suddenly filled with that old fighting spirit.

---

"We'll go block off the main corridors, Snape says he's got most of the students in the Great Hall anyway." The masked woman said.

"Thank you Alecto, you may go." The Minister said robotically.

"As for me I shall commence with…" Lucius cut off as he noticed his son walking towards him looking rather grumpy.

"Father." Draco nodded as he approached.

"Draco, why are you out of the castle?" Lucius asked eyeing his son with very suspicious eyes.

"Some people are trying to run from Hogwarts, I figured _he _wouldn't be very happy with that." Draco shrugged and his father grinned.

"Very good Draco, where are they?" Lucius questioned. As he finished talking Hermione and Ron shot out from opposite end of the giant castle and bolted for the gates where they could finally Disapparate away.

"I'll get them!" Draco yelled, trying to sound as much like his father as humanly possible however sick it made him feel inside. Draco pushed through his father and the minister and ran after Ron and Hermione, pulling out his wand in the process. Though it wasn't part of the plan he shot a stunning spell at Ron, both for personal closure and to make the show look more real.

"Now!" Draco whispered and Hermione pretended to tackle him to the ground while holding onto to Ron's arm. A huge crack could be heard and Lucius Malfoy was left with the impression that a Mudblood had kidnapped his son. The only problem was he had no idea where and he couldn't leave the castle. He'd just been outwitted by a simple Muggle born girl and this angered him more than anything in the world.


	16. A Magical Christmas

**Right then, here's a massively late chapter and to cover up that fact I've made it really big. I have no idea if Turkey is a Christmas food because my families Christmas's are all about lamb. Also I know it's a tad past Christmas but well… get over it… kay? **

With a crack and a thud three exhausted figures fell onto the doorstep of the Granger's home. The clouds were grey and yet the sky was still very bright – it was only just past noon. As soon as they each caught their breath they returned to their usual selves.

"Get your hand off my arm Weasel, I wouldn't want to catch rabies off you." Draco sniped at once, not wasting anytime at all with the insults.

"Oh yeah that's bloody rich coming from a…" Ron stopped in his sentence midway. Something was terribly wrong. Hermione was looking up at her house in shock and Draco looked torn between horror and disbelief. The Dark Mark floated sinisterly above the peaceful looking house with its ghastly expression – it's mask of death.

"Hermione…" Draco said before Ron even opened his mouth. She didn't look back at him in response. She threw the front door open and ran from room to room in a state of frenzy akin to that of a wild horse who had just seen lightening.

"Mother?" she called, "Father?" she could feel her heart speed up and every brain cell telling her the obvious.

"They're not here!" she informed Draco and Ron as they ran upstairs the see her standing at the door of her parents' room.

"'Mione… I'm so sorry…" Ron said looking genuinely upset.

"About what?" Hermione asked, still in a state of disbelief.

"'Mione it's the Mark… you know what that means." Ron sighed as he walked near her and attempted to put his arms around her. She shook him off.

"It doesn't _mean _anything! This is probably some sick joke to make us think they've killed someone!" Hermione reasoned, though through tear filled eyes.

"She's right." Draco said, looking contemplative.

"What?" Ron spat; still stinging from the slight rejection Hermione gave him.

"They never go to any trouble after killing the bodies – even with Dumble… with the Headmaster they didn't pick him up and try to hide it," Draco explained, "They'd want you to know – they always make a show of it." He finished. There was silence as Ron and Hermione each thought over what they had just been told. Suddenly Hermione started walking towards her bathroom. The boys followed quickly after her, worried about her state of mind.

"So basically what your saying is that the mark was a distraction? They just put up a light show to make us do something stupid? Make the first move or something, right?" Hermione said as she hurried along the familiar hallways lined with family portraits hanging peacefully on the walls.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked, suddenly cautious.

"I have an idea." She replied suddenly hopeful – she recalled on something she had proclaimed after finishing her fourth year.

"_Well sweetheart another year over with, what would you like to do today? You name it!" Her father had said happily as he drove home in his flashy new car._

"_We could go for dinner!" her mother suggested with a smile. _

"_Or… I could go home and take a much needed shower – then we could go for dinner." Hermione hinted and her mother laughed. _

"_You always want to shower when you get back from Hogwarts, well I should just be glad your keeping clean!" Hermione laughed too, more out of kindness than the fact that she actually found her mother funny. _

"_Well I like showering after a long day, I always think better after it." Hermione said as they pulled up to the driveway. _

"That's why I think this is the place to go!" Hermione explained after telling the boys her story. Draco watched her carefully as they strode into the bathroom.

"Wait a minute… does this mean you're going to take a shower?" Ron asked looking a little too happy for someone who had just been sad not half a minute ago.

"No! Merlin Ronald, get your head out of the gutter!" she hissed, blushing a furious red.

"Yeah Ronald, that's very immature." Draco added with a smirk.

"So anyway," Ron began again rather shyly, "What are we looking for?"

"Well they'd want to let me know what happened without being too obvious, so they'd hide it somewhere no one but me would care to look, it's a simple solution really." She said then on her toes reached her fingers to the top of the showerhead. Surely enough a white sheet of paper was sticky taped to the surface. Hermione read it aloud so the boys wouldn't crowd her.

"_Hermione, when you find this note we'll have left long ago. A young woman named Tonks asked us to pack our things and go, as our lives will be in danger soon. We're leaving tonight and they have a boat booked for us to go to Australia for six months. We'll contact you when we can – please stay safe and don't worry about us. Love always mom and dad" _Hermione folded the letter as she finished reciting it then smiled up at Draco.

"What?" he asked.

"You were right." She said.

"Well, yeah… I often am." Draco said feeling obviously smug about it. Then Ron clapped his hands together causing them both to jump.

"Right well I'm hungry!" he proclaimed.

"Well I guess I should cook something special then." Hermione beamed.

"What's the occasion?" Draco wondered whilst crossing his arms.

"Well it is Christmas Eve is it not? I think we should at least have a small day of happiness… and then we'll go and find Harry."

---

Though it was indeed Christmas Eve the atmosphere suggested there had just been some sort of world disaster. Draco and Ron refused to be in the same 20 meters of each other and Hermione was left to prepare dinner on her own. And she was not too happy to be treated on the same level as a common house elf. Then she remembered her family had huge box full of unused decorations. Leaving the stove on a simmer she ran upstairs and into the attic. Between all her old clothes and her father's record collections was a box of Christmas things they'd never used. There wasn't too much – a few tree ornaments, some tinsel and a box of Christmas crackers from at least 5 years ago. Hermione charmed a bag of tinsel out the door and it wrapped itself around the stairwell and draped itself gracefully over the entry to the dining room. The Christmas angel sprung to life and flew downstairs and began dancing around the air leaving green and red stars in her wake.

A small army of mini Santa's wobbled out of the room laughing merrily as the weight of their toy sacks toppled them over like red and white dominoes. Not yet feeling satisfied she charmed the crackers with a spell she'd learned from Flitwick himself during the holidays when he was putting up the tree. She carried the box downstairs and placed it on the table then resumed her cooking.

"Blimey, you've really gone all out." Ron said as he walked into the kitchen. Hermione just smiled and tightened the ropes of her apron.

"Not really, it's always much grander at Hogwarts." Hermione replied checking the oven to see how the Turkey was going.

"Yeah but I'd say you come second at least! Well first really, but that's just me." Ron was not so much talking about the decorations anymore. Hermione sighed and looked at Ron with as much surprise as possible.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, though already knowing the answer.

"Hermione… do you have a minute?" Ron asked, somewhat awkwardly.

"I have 12." she said pointing to the oven but sat down on the top of the kitchen bench to hear what Ron had to say. He took a moment to compose himself, to think over his words before he actually said them.

"Hermione, things are starting to get… dangerous." Ron sighed.

"I am aware of the situation Ron, do you think I've just been sitting at Hogwarts playing chess?" she scoffed then crossed her arms defensively.

"We broke into the Ministry of Magic." He informed her, watching closely for her reaction.

"You _what!_" Hermione shrieked in the thought of them doing such an act. Before she could say anything else Ron put both of his hands on either side of Hermione so she had no route of escape should she need one.

"Hermione, we overheard a bunch of them talking and you cant go back to Hogwarts!" Ron ordered looking almost mad.

"Why not?" she tried to compose herself, as Ron was much too close for comfort.

"Because they've got Luna," he explained, "And they aren't stopping there 'Mione! They going to start taking kids out of school any day now, they have it all planned – they have a list of names and _you're_ on it!" he breathed.

"The school? We have to go back! We have to get everyone out of there!" Hermione tried to jump down off the bench but Ron wouldn't allow it.

"No, it's too late now and I'm not losing you to bloody you-know-who!" Ron yelled and placed one his large hands over Hermione's.

"Ron this is hardly the time!" Hermione scolded him and with her free hand she pushed his shoulder back – hoping he'd take the hint.

"Well when is Hermione? Next year? Ten years from now? We keep waiting, but for what?" Ron asked, his eyes widened with nerves.

"Ronald, stop." Hermione commanded but he ignored and neared his face to hers.

"Hermione, you don't have to wait anymore." Ron said as his face inched closer and closer to Hermione.

"Stop it!" her voice was much more serious now and her face showed nothing but discomfort and something akin to anger.

"Sorry I just thought…" Ron mumbled as he moved away from her.

"No, you didn't think. You didn't even ask," she gave him a very stern look "I don't have feelings for you anymore Ron." She said very clearly with no doubts.

"What?" Ron started to go pink around the ears and on his cheeks.

"I really liked you, and I waited years for you to turn around and notice me." Hermione confessed and Ron looked at her in surprise.

"You… liked me?" he questioned, unsure he had heard her right.

"Yes, you moron!" she laughed, "But you were too busy with Quidditch and then with Lavender and whatever else it is that was clearly more important than me." Tears gathered in her eyes as she spoke – saying these words to her best friend made her feel like a monster.

"Well what's stopping you now?" Ron asked. They were now standing with a meters distance between them and a tense atmosphere was drifting the room.

"It's complicated." She answered simply.

"Is it Malfoy?" he asked and she had no reply for that.

"No. No you're not allowed to like him, anyone but him Hermione." Ron stated angrily and she uncrossed her arms.

"Excuse me? You cannot tell me who I can and can't like." Hermione snapped.

"Hermione its Malfoy! The ferret! You might remember punching him in the face? You might remember hating his guts for the past seven years!" Ron huffed desperately trying to talk sense back into his friend.

"Tell me one fact about Draco." Hermione demanded.

"He's a git!" Ron raised his voice as he spoke now.

"See! You don't know a single thing about him and you just hate him for no good reason!" Hermione glared at Ron's lack of sense.

"His fathers a Death Eater, he's clearly not right Hermione."

"Oh so because his father's evil you have to condemn Draco too? Sometimes I'm ashamed of you Ron." Hermione said and turned away from him to see she still had five minutes remaining on the oven timer.

"Why do you like him?" Ron asked, cringing as images of the two of them buried in each others arms appeared in the back of his mind.

"Because I believe he's a good person." Hermione said still not looking at Ronald.

"He's been a prick to you for years." Ron pointed out.

"Yes and I haven't exactly been showing any Gryffindor kindness to him over the years have I?" Hermione reminded him.

"You were defending yourself!" Ron said, clutching at straws now.

"No I wasn't. Prejudice works both ways Ron." Hermione said, blinking away her tears.

"You're not prejudiced! You love house elves!" Ron countered but Hermione shook her head at his conclusion and turned around to face him.

"Those are two separate problems," she sighed then decided to use her smarts to win this argument, "Ron, why do you hate Purebloods?" she questioned.

"'Coz they're all high and mighty and take everything for granted, not to mention they're all aligned with you-know-who!" Ron answered.

"So each and every Pureblood whom you've never met is already a bad person because they are Pureblood?" Hermione asked with her eyebrows raised.

"I…" Ron couldn't think of an excuse fast enough.

"We're just as bad as they are. Maybe they started it, but we kept it going! That's the only real reason you hate Draco. Because you don't know him, you look at him and all you can think is Pureblood." Hermione said.

"So you like him because he's Pureblood? Is that it?" Ron asked.

"I've seen a side to him that no one ever sees, that's not something I can ignore. And I can't ignore what I feel." Hermione finished suddenly feeling stronger about her own feelings for Draco. Silence fell between the pair as she waited for him to speak.

"Then I'll accept it… for now." Ron said after much thought.

"Ron?" Hermione blinked, not quite believing he would so willingly agree.

"You're smart and you've never been wrong about stuff like this before… so I'll accept it for now." He sighed.

"Are you sure?" Hermione double-checked. She did not want to have any tension between herself and Ron.

"Yeah I think I am. But if does anything to hurt you then you tell me right away and I'll curse his ass for you." Ron grinned at the thought. With a huge smile Hermione flung her arms around him and pulled him into a friendly embrace. He returned it knowing it was as close to her as he would ever get now.

"Thank you so much Ron." She said as the oven timer went off and the hug ended.

"Turkey's done." Ron said and Hermione walked away from him to go dish up dinner.

---

"That was good 'Mione, cheers." Ron said as he and Hermione exchanged a peaceful smile and she nodded her thanks to him in reply.

"Yeah, it was different than back home." Draco added and Hermione dimly wondered if that was a good thing or not.

"Well I hope it wasn't too last minute." Hermione said while the fairy ornament danced around her shoulders with an expression that reminded her of Luna Lovegood. And then reality set in again.

"What's the plan then?" Draco asked, tapping his fork against the table out of boredom.

"We'll we cant go back to Hogwarts." Ron said right away.

"Oh bugger I was just about to suggest we go right back to the place where my father was bringing all the Death Eaters, oh well guess not!" Draco snapped his fingers then gave Ron a look that said 'give me a break'.

"We'll leave tomorrow to find Harry, he's alone and he probably needs the back up." Hermione reasoned and Draco suddenly changed his expression into one of deep thought.

"Okay that's the plan then." Ron got up and stretched.

"We'll have lunch and then set out – Ron you'll have to get us there since we don't know where Harry last was." Hermione said and Ron nodded. Draco on the other hand looked completely lost in thought, like he had forgotten he was sitting down altogether.

"Right we'll I'm dogged so I'll take the couch tonight." Ron proclaimed and Hermione notified him of where all the spare sheets and pillows were. As soon as Ron left the room an awkward foreboding filled the air and Hermione stood up too.

"It's late and we've probably got a long day ahead of us tomorrow so… you can have the guest room, it's upstairs - first door to your left." She said then took that as a cue to go wash the dishes. She took at least half an hour to wash everything and put it back in its proper place when she decided to go to bed too.

Walking past where they had all eaten she wondered when Draco had gotten up to leave as she hadn't heard a chair or anything of the sort. On the table was an unopened box of Christmas crackers that she'd been too preoccupied to use. It was shame after she had gone to the trouble of charming each one differently too. She passed by Ron's loudly snoring figure on her way.

As she climbed the stairs with the box of crackers in her hand she wondered why the door to the guest room was wide open. Through the window sitting on the balcony was Draco looking up at the sky as though it had done him a personal wrong. She opened to sliding glass door but he showed no signs of acknowledgment.

"Hello." She said casually and took a seat beside him with the Christmas crackers on her lap. He didn't move his expression he only nodded at her.

"It's weird isn't it?" Draco said.

"What is?" Hermione questioned.

"There's probably a dozen Death Eaters in the sky right now but we can't see them and they can't see us." Draco replied, his gaze looking broody.

"I guess so, but there's protection spells up so there's no need to worry." Hermione offered and he shook his head.

"I'm not worried, but surely _he_ knows I'm here." Draco pointed out.

"Maybe he does, but does it really matter?" she asked. He lowered his head from the sky to look at her.

"Yeah it does." He answered flatly, looking slightly offended.

"Are you sure you're okay with tagging along with Ron and I tomorrow?" she asked to break the silence.

"Yeah, just don't expect me to get all chummy with the wankers." He warned and Hermione laughed at his choice of words.

"Oh yeah, because you'd make such good friends!" she giggled.

"What are these then?" Draco asked snatching the box from her lap.

"Those are Christmas crackers, surely you've done them before?" she wondered just how different wizard celebrations were from Muggle ones.

"Nope, my family never really cared for all your Muggle traditions, I don't quite understand what these do Hermione." Draco opened the box and began examining to oddly shaped paper.

"Hold one end." Hermione instructed and he did as he was told.

"Now what? Or is this it?"

"Now hold the little bit of paper in your end and tug on the count to three." Draco fumbled around for the paper then nodded with much determination.

"One – two – three!" the both tugged and Hermione ended up with the bigger half. Suddenly a green and red leprechaun somersaulted out of Hermione's cracker and began Irish dancing atop of Draco's hair.

"What is it? Get it off!" Draco panicked. Hermione couldn't help herself she burst out laughing, wiping away tears of mirth as she laughed. The glittery creature jumped from Draco to the table where it finished it's routine and took its hat off to Hermione. She smiled at her work as it exploded into green and red sparks.

"Here you go." Hermione put the string part of the cracker in Draco's hands.

"What's this now?" he asked suspiciously.

"Whoever gets the longer part of string gets to make a wish – since you've never done it I'm letting you have it." She said as she placed the paper crown on her head.

"Okay… so how do I make the wish?"

"Just say it in your mind, it's supposed to come true as long you don't say it aloud" she warned and he thought about his wish for a minute.

"Okay then, quite down while I do this." He gripped the paper and then after mere seconds he looked directly at Hermione with a huge grin.

"Have you made your wish?" she asked, surprised it only took him 5 seconds.

"Yes, now I just have to wait." He replied and she yawned.

"Well I'm going to bed, I wonder what time it is?" she checked her watch and then yawned again "It's a minute to midnight… that's kind of nice." She smiled, somehow midnight on Christmas Eve seemed significant, or perhaps it was just the present company.

"You know Hermione, not even in my wildest dreams would I have thought I be spending Christmas with you." Draco confessed.

"But here we are." Hermione grinned and he placed a hand on her cheek, it was rather cold, however it seemed to warm to his touch.

"Here we are." There was a challenge in his voice – she took it.

"Merry Christmas." She said then pressed her lips to his as a familiar tingling returned to her lips as they celebrated their first Christmas together.

**Curtains please :) This chapter was all very mushy so next chapter shall be less mushy. Also thank you for helping me to get on 50 favourite lists! You are clearly awesome people. **


	17. New Mission

**Gasp! Secrets and stuff! This chapter was very fun to write and hopefully fun to read, soon I shall be posting the play list for this story as I've finally put it together and the songs are quite amazing. So keep an eye out for that on my profile! **

_Narcissa Malfoy was more than just a housewife; she was first and foremost a mother. Waking up each morning to a man who didn't care one way or the other was causing her the worst grief. She would give an arm and a leg to know that Draco – her son – was all right. She walked with a false air of pride through the hallways of the mansion. One of the house elves was bringing a tray of bread towards the basement. He lowered his eyes from his pureblood master as he scurried past. _

"_Stop." Narcissa ordered and the elf immediately came to a halt, scared that he had done something wrong he turned his tearful eyes to her. It wasn't the woman he was afraid of, it was the man who always seemed to be one step behind. _

"_Sorry miss, it was time for the prisoners food, sorry." the elf bowed so low his forehead hit the tiles he stood on. _

"_I will take the food, you are excused from this task." She took the tray from him trembling hands and he began to cry. _

"_Oh thank you, most gracious Mistress!" he yelped then scampered back towards the kitchen unsure of what to do with his free time. Narcissa walked down the stairs cautiously taking utmost care to not ruin her dress. Vanity wasn't something she was proud of, but it was one of her more dominant traits. Reaching the bottom of the steps she was suddenly glad the house elves bothered to clean down here, it didn't smell quite as bad anymore. _

"_Who's there!" an angry male voice asked, though clearly afraid. Narcissa wasn't aware they had another prisoner she looked into the cell and recognized the boy. She stepped back as he ran into the metal bars confining him in the cell. His hands were sweaty and covered in soot; his face would be barely recognizable to his own mother. _

"_You are a Gryffindor?" she questioned. _

"_Damn right, and proud of it! You wont get nothing out of me about Harry, he's my friend!" Dean Thomas glared at the Narcissa, nothing but discontent between them. The only thing they could understand about each other was their hate. _

"_We'll see." Narcissa sniffed. A small, lanky figure tip toed out of the shadows. _

"_You're not a house elf." Luna Lovegood suddenly spoke up, looking far too peaceful for someone trapped in an underground jail cell. _

"_Clearly not, thank you for noticing." Narcissa replied sarcastically pushing the tray under the metal bars "Eat it now, we'll come back for the tray in half an hour." She warned, looking at Luna with something close to interest in her eyes. _

"_You don't look very good." Luna stated and Narcissa glared at her, feeling genuinely hurt that someone said such a thing to her. Dean retreated to the corner with his piece of bread, not keen on talking to someone he loathed. _

"_Excuse you?" she replied with a hand on her hip. _

"_Well last time you came down here you looked very nice, but now you have worry lines which could easily be because of the Umptars in your home." Luna answered, nodding mindlessly to herself. _

"_Worry lines? I'll have you know that I, Narcissa Malfoy, don't get worried… and what's an Umptar?"_

"_Oh it's a frog like creature, they only go away when you are no longer worried." Narcissa rolled her eyes at the young girls logic and turned to leave. However she stopped in her tracks when Greyback bounded down the stairs two at a time, clearly excited about something. He looked up in surprise and brushed his hands down on the side of his pants. _

"_Oh, it's the Malfoy mistress down in the dungeons!" he exclaimed and moved closer towards her taking a good look at her before continuing forward. _

"_What are you doing?" Narcissa asked, skipping the small talk. _

"_Looking for your fine self. I've got some good news." He grinned with a look of triumph in his eyes. _

"_And?" Narcissa questioned impatiently. _

"_Straight to business then? Too bad mm, did I mention your looking very nice in that dress Mrs. Malfoy?" he smiled and Narcissa crossed her arms. _

'_The point if you please?" she snapped and Greyback looked a bit annoyed at her obvious dislike for him. _

"_I've got a solid lead on Potter, looks like you'll have your boy back soon." He said, his voice almost mocking her about her son. _

"_Then go. I do not want to waste time with banter when there is work to be done." She demanded and he glared at her. As he walked by he hit her roughly on the shoulder and shot one last glance at her, only to be ignored. _

"_It'll be okay." Luna said once the doors slammed. _

"_I beg your pardon?" Narcissa sighed. _

"_Your son, he's in good hands." Luna smiled kindly and Narcissa asked. _

"_And how do you know this?" Narcissa asked, not in the mood for games. _

"_I'm a Ravenclaw." Luna replied happily. _

_---_

Ron had a stroke of luck when he apparated to where he and Harry were last and everything was still where it was. They had to calm Harry down however when he saw Malfoy standing at the doorway looking far too casual. Night had fallen and Hermione was sitting opposite Malfoy by the fire eating the food Harry cooked for them. Draco was clearly not in his comfort zone. He'd never gone camping let alone with his childhood enemy. The only thing keeping him from walking away was Hermione. Back in the tent Harry and Ron were in deep conversation but trying to keep their voices down.

"So he's an ally now?" Harry asked, not believing a word of what Ron was saying.

"Pretty much… or at least I think he is. It's really complicated." Ron grumbled.

"Uh huh. And who's idea was this?" Harry questioned angrily.

"Hermione's." Ron said at once.

"No way, she wouldn't do that." Harry shook his head.

"Oh, you have no idea mate." Ron laughed bitterly.

"I'm missing something." Harry concluded.

"Yeah mate… here's some… news," Ron picked his words carefully, "Okay see Hermione sort of… is with Draco." Harry raised an eyebrow.

"By the fire, yeah, so what is it?" Harry whispered.

"No, I mean, Hermione and him… okay… let's say Hermione is the Whomping Willow right? Well she hit Malfoy… you know?" Ron tried to explain, too embarrassed to come out with the truth.

"Hermione hit Malfoy? That's not news Ron, that's just funny." Harry grinned.

"No that's not what I meant." Ron shook his head.

"Then what exactly are you saying?" Harry couldn't help but wonder if Ron had been drinking one too many Butterbeers.

"Okay Draco's a seeker right? Well he kind of _caught_ Hermione." Ron hinted.

"What was she doing?" Harry asked. Ron groaned in annoyance, his point was not getting across at all.

"No! Fine, okay! You know what's going on Lupin right?" Ron said referring to Lupin's love life, "Well that's what happened with Draco and Hermione."

"Draco's a werewolf!?" Harry said, suddenly freaking out for Hermione.

"NO! Bloody Hell Harry! I saw them snogging on the couch!" Ron whispered furiously as his ears went bright red.

"WHAT?" Harry yelled.

"Is everything okay?" Hermione called from outside.

"Yeah!" Ron called back.

"How? What the hell! How did this happen?" Harry blurted out.

"Beats me mate, buts it's seriously her choice, she told me herself!" Ron held up his hands as he shrugged.

"So we what, just let it happen?" Harry replied.

"I guess so, it's that or we run away and Malfoy gets eaten by a bear. Really thought its up to you." Ron grinned hopefully.

"No… I don't think Hermione would be too happy if we killed him. But I'm not happy about this." Harry said, just to make his opinion clear.

"Join the bloody club mate." Ron laughed

---

"I want food." Draco complained letting his hands warm up by the fire.

"You just had food." Harry reminded him bitterly.

"Let me rephrase. I want real food Potter, you know, the edible stuff." Draco retorted and Hermione rolled her eyes at the two bickering.

"Draco…" she chided and Harry shuddered at Hermione's casual use of his first name. A long silence passed and everybody tried to amuse him or herself by looking at their surroundings. However it was dark so it was short-lived amusement.

"You know what I can't wait for?" Ron said breaking the silence.

"What?" Harry asked.

"This whole war business to be over with." Ron answered.

"Yeah I'm really looking forward to dying." Harry responded sarcastically.

"Harry that won't happen." Hermione said worriedly.

"Exactly Hermione, we'll fight you-know-who, and we'll go down in history as big bloody heroes." Ron said with a glint of fear in his eyes.

"You've given this way too much thought." Draco said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"What would you even do when it was over?" Hermione asked, amused that they were taking such a dark topic so lightly. Or at least most of them were.

"Oh easy. I'll go back to the Great Hall where Veela's'll greet me and we'll have the Great Feast in honor of the Mighty Mr. Weasley!" Ron exclaimed, clearly getting lost in his own little fantasy world "And there'll be sausages, lots of sausages!" Ron concluded looking happily into the fire.

"You are so full of it!" Hermione laughed.

"Agreed, we all know the feast will be for me, it'll be a Potter party." Harry joined in the conversation and even Draco laughed at that.

"What about you Harry? What will you be doing when it's over?" Hermione asked, keeping the conversation flowing.

"I'll have a Butterbeer." He said right away.

"That's incredibly boring." Draco commented.

"Yeah but I think it'll be nice to go down the street have a drink and not cause an outbreak of violent death…" Harry pointed out.

"Yeah it's a bother mate, but you'd want a hot date you know, like one of those girls from _Playwizard!" _Ron laughed.

"Oh Ron that's disgusting! Harry would never sink so low, would you Harry?" Hermione gave a very pointed look his way.

"Well that depends, what girl are we talking about?" Harry joked and Hermione threw a twig at him, but missed.

"You're a pig!" she shrieked but couldn't wipe the grin off her face.

"Am not!" he defended himself.

"Draco?" Hermione asked.

"What?" he questioned with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Your turn, what would you do?" She smiled.

"I dunno… something… fun?" he shrugged, not wanting to voice what was really his hope for the future – which involved Hermione.

"Yeah, but what?" Harry asked, wanting to get a rise out of him.

"I don't know!" Draco replied.

"Oh I know, how about Broadway, that'd be fun!" Ron laughed, using his little knowledge of Muggle life that he'd learned from Hermione. Suddenly an awkward silence passes as each of them imagined Draco center stage singing proudly.

"Fun for who?" Draco asked, looking scared that they might actually mean it.

"Us!" the three of them replied in unison which sent them into hysterics.

"And you Hermione?" Harry said once he caught his breath.

"Oh that's easy!" Hermione replied, "I'd use my influence to get as many members of S.P.E.W as possible." She grinned and Draco raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"So when the wars over you want to influence people to… throw up?" he laughed, knowing she would get fired up.

"Keep that up and you'll be the first." Hermione warned with a cheeky grin.

"Excellent!" Ron commented and high fived Hermione who, not knowing her own strength left a huge red imprint on his palm.

Then there was silence.

A movement from behind them,

A call,

A red flash,

Then darkness.

---

"Looky what we have 'ere boys, blood traitors, chosen ones and mud-bloods! It's gonna be a party!" Greyback laughed, approaching then Golden trio, then noticed the extra guest. His eyes flashed with anger and confusion when he saw who it was.

"What in the hell are doing 'ere boy?" he growled.

Draco panicked, there was only one way to get out of this and it could end badly for everyone. But he didn't have to time sit and consider his options. In a split second he moved and had Ron in a headlock.

"Come on, you never heard of double crossing? And you call yourself a werewolf!" Draco joked and Greyback instantly laughed manically slapping his leg like he was having trouble breathing.

"Always knew you were you're fathers son!" he yelled joyfully and Draco hold on Ron's neck tightened considerably. With the slightest movement of his head Greyback's gang lunged forward and held each of the trio members so they couldn't escape.

"Get your hands off me!" Hermione snapped staring wide eyed at Draco – she wanted an answer but wasn't sure how to ask for it.

"Mudblood's should be muzzled." Greyback stated and flung his arms around Draco like they were old buddies then with another nod they apparated. Leaving the campfire to simply die out with no one watching.

---

Minutes later they appeared in the Manor beaten and confused. Bellatrix Lestrange turned around with a childish smile on her face. She jumped up and down but was silenced when Lucius entered the room with his wife trailing behind – looking desperately for her son. As soon as she sighted him she flew forward to remove him from the new prisoners.

"Oh Draco, are you okay? What happened?" Narcissa asked while kissing every inch of his head. Lucius remained indifferent about his sons return, but instead waited for silence.

"Is it really him?" Bellatrix asked lifting Harry up by the hair.

"Course it is! Unlike you I get the job done, Lestrange." Greyback replied triumphantly.

"You never know. Could easily be polyjuice, or a double." Draco said quickly.

"Hush Draco." Lucius ordered.

"Waddya want from us?" Ron yelled, fear not really helping his clear thinking.

"Shuddup Weasley!" Greyback spat out and launched a kick into Ron's back.

"I must say though… what a cunning plan Draco." Lucius drawled.

"…Thank you father." Draco replied, keeping his eyes away from Hermione – looking at her would give him away, and he was far too scared to risk the wrath of Voldemort.

"Now, Greyback you will receive payment _after_ the Dark Lord has arrived." Lucius said but held his hand up for Bellatrix before she called him.

"Now, now, there is no rush – we must make all our guests feel like they are at home here." Lucius smiled cruelly and nodded to Greyback. Greyback and grabbed Ron and Harry by the arms and dragged them down to the underground jail cells of which Dean and Luna were stuck in.

"Don't you start the show without me!" Greyback laughed out loud, a sick sounding cackle that shouldn't have been possible with a human voice.

"Cissy?" Bellatrix whined tapping her wand on her hip impatiently.

"Go ahead Bella." Narcissa allowed and holding Draco in her arms like a mother would when she truly missed her child.

"_Crucio!" _she yelled as her curse hit the frightened Hermione. Lucius smiled – he'd always wanted this girl to suffer she had after all, punched his son. Hermione's scream filled the room, a sound that could make a grown man feel scared.

There was silence after Bellatrix finished her curse, Hermione was trembling with fear and tears were streaming down her face. Draco clenched his hands together until his fingernails started to dig into his skin.

"Draco you understand you still have not fully completed the mission?" Lucius said causally as he watched Hermione weep.

"I know father." Draco said as politely as he could.

"Well hurry up then, you are making a mockery of this family." He chided with his chin sticking proudly towards the ceiling. Hermione kept her eyes shut tight but kept note of everything that was being said. If there was one thing she prided herself on, it was her incredibly memory. Draco twitched and Narcissa noticed.

"Lou…" Narcissa began; something wasn't sitting right with her.

"Quiet. Not now." Lucius snapped and his wife looked taken aback.

"I…" she began, feeling hurt.

"I said, not now." He didn't spare even a glance at his wife as she let go of her son, out of spite and the fact that she both saw and felt him pull his wand out from his pocket.

Draco ran forward in-between Hermione and Bellatrix who looked at him with her nose wrinkled in confusion.

"What d'you think you're doing?" she questioned in her high-pitched voice.

"_My _mission," He replied "_Stupefy!" _he shouted and his aunt fell to the floor her stance finally matching her corpse like appearance.

"Fool!" Lucius roared and pulled out his wand, but it was far too late. Malfoy had just as soon stunned his father that he turned his wand on his mother who just raised her eyebrow at him. Draco Malfoy had just relieved a burden from his shoulders. He had stood up to his father, in one sense of the word, and there was more than one person to thank for that.

"What was that?" Greyback called from the stairwell, his footsteps getting closer each second that ticked by. Narcissa and her son exchanged a knowing look, she winked and he smirked.

"Thanks." He mouthed then stunned his mother, as to not arouse any more trouble. With an arm around Hermione he apparated both of them out of the manor to the very first place he could think of. At that moment the looming doors to the lounge room flew open and a very haughty Mrs. Parkinson and her daughter stormed in. Greyback stood in the middle of the room puffing and looking like he was two seconds from losing it.

"Well, are the rumors true?" Pansy requested completely ignoring the stunned Lucius, Narcissa and Bellatrix like they were just decorations to the room.

"What?" Greyback practically snarled at the girl while looking furiously at Narcissa.

"Is Draco really back?" she demanded an answer.

"You just missed him, he ran off with his girl." He barked sarcastically.

"His… girl?" she mumbled in shock then after a minute of thought.

"Pansy dear?" Her mother asked, worried that their family status might be in potential danger.

"Granger." Pansy drawled and her mother frowned.

"Greyback, would you like to partake in a little hunting for us?" Mrs. Parkinson asked.

"Patricia… I'd be happy to." He grinned and she frowned even deeper at the use of her first name by a creature as low as a werewolf.

"Mummy, I have a better idea." Pansy insisted quickly a very Slytherin type smile upon her pale face. She twirled her wand in her perfectly manicured fingers and fluttered her eyelids.

"This calls for something more powerful than a werewolf. This is a job for woman." She stated as she flicked her black hair over her shoulder.

---

**I'm again sorry for the delay. But this chapter hopefully provided some insight into the other side of the magic world, Narcissa and such. **

**Next chapter will bring antics, comedy, drama, pineapples and Draco's Broadway debut. (Just kidding). I have given more depth to some characters for this simply because I've always found them interesting – so tell me your thoughts!**


	18. A Little Thought

**I know its been a VERY long time but I've been traveling for the past month and a bit so I have been very far away from my computer for a long time having some much needed fun. Hence long chapters and more updates to come. Hopefully you haven't abandoned this story, you wonderful patient people.**

"Get off me." Hermione demanded, her voice was weak and raspy – she had just been tortured and she had too many questions that didn't have answers. Draco let go, not wanting to start anything. If Draco knew anything about Hermione it was to not push her any further if she was already angry. Or as Hermione would say – _don't add fuel to an already roaring fire. _There they both stood, in the living room of Hermione's home the only source of light was the glow of the white curtains. Hermione began to leave the room, holding onto the walls for support.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked carefully, trying not to sound like he was babying her around and keep his cool at the same time.

"Kitchen. Water." She replied dryly, clearly it was too much strain on her voice to form a longer answer. She couldn't help but be mad at Draco – despite how much she knew about him and his troubles. She flicked on the light switch but had to turn it down, as the sudden brightness did nothing for her already throbbing head. She closed her eyes and massaged her temples, fighting away the pain. She opened her eyes to see Draco filling a glass of water for her. The sentiment made her feel sick to her stomach. He turned around, masking his sympathy with casual indifference.

"Here, drink up." He said pushing the glass towards her. She ignored his offer and walked out of the room still insanely thirsty. He sighed and followed close behind.

"Hermione you have to drink something." He insisted.

"Maybe it'll rain." She retorted but then tripped over the first stair on the staircase. The small bump triggered all the stress and pain she'd been bottling. She burst into tears, loud painful sobs that sounded like large hiccups emitted from her mouth, leaving Draco speechless. With a moment of consideration her ran over to her and put a hand on her back – a small comfort. She pushed him away and backed herself against the wall next to the stairs, holding herself as she wept.

"Don't. Touch. Me!" she yelled through sobs. He ignored her request and just sat there watching her, making sure she knew he wasn't going anywhere.

"What is _wrong _with you!" she screamed hysterically. He looked away, knowing full well where this conversation was going before it really started.

"I'm sorry." It was all he could think of to say without making it harder for her.

"Oh good, that makes it all so much better, I guess its all over now! Good thing your sorry I thought maybe tonight was going to be bad, but oh no! As long as you're sorry, it's all perfect isn't it!" she spat, glaring at him with tearful brown globes. Never in his life had Draco seen a sight so sad, but he understood. He had done her wrong and she was within her rights to break down.

"You let them take us, you didn't even think about fighting back did you? We could have, but now look at us! Ron's in a dungeon, Harry's probably being handed over to your dark lord as we speak and Merlin knows I'd like to Crucio your stupid face off right now! This would never have happened if you weren't such a coward!" she finished and waited angrily for his reply.

"Oh right because Greyback wouldn't have mauled me if I'd shown any signs of betrayal, not to mention what he'd do to you!" he defended himself, not really liking the coward tag he had received.

"Oh so you let us get captured for me!" Hermione snapped and suddenly they both knew it was no holds barred.

"Oh right yeah, push all the blame onto me, I didn't see Hero Potter fighting back, not to mention the bloody red headed twit boyfriend of yours!" Draco sneered falling easily back into the motions of his bratty old self.

"I trusted you!" Hermione countered.

"Yeah well, your mistake." He replied and stormed upstairs and slammed the guestroom door. Hermione sat on the stairs holding her aching stomach, though she'd just been tortured, she was dealing with a whole new pain now. Slowly she made her way back to the kitchen to pour a new glass of water. She flicked the light on and jumped. In the window reflected behind her was a hooded figure. She began to scream but was cut off before she could make any real noise. A quick jab in her side blocked her airflow and then the jabbers wand pressed roughly into her back. A clear sign that she had nowhere to run and no one to save her.

"_Stupefy_." Pansy Parkinson whispered and caught the stunned Hermione before she hit the ground, not wanting to arouse suspicions. She sat for a moment and looked at the brunette girl lying frightened in front of her. Seven years ago she could have been the same kind of girl. Normal, friendly and reasonably well liked, but no, she had to fall into her mother's demands and become the cold-hearted wretch she was today. She'd gone too far to doubt her future anymore. If she was going to be bad, then might as well be good at it. She pulled out her flask, which was full of a rather strong smelling potion, along with a pair of scissors and got to work.

---

Draco lay awake that night, still steaming with anger. He was sprawled across his makeshift bed with his arms crossed and a childish pout in place of his generic sneer. The clicking of the grandfather clock on the other side of the room was driving him bonkers.

"Who does she think she is…" he mumbled to himself and ran his fingers through his hair. Whilst in his bad mood he couldn't help but feel sort of happy. He had after all stood up to his father a few hours ago. He thought about whom he owed thanks to, the people he wanted to thank when the war was finally over – however it were to end.

He would thank his mother. Though she hasn't always been with him, she was still his mother. Helping him from behind the scenes for she too held fear for Lucius Malfoy. She loved him and he loved her the way children all love their mothers. However he just didn't know the safe way to show it. It was a complicated family but he saw no other way for it to be. Another reason why he couldn't understand Hermione's way of life.

He also knew he would have to thank Snape. He had after all taken some form of care with him. When Draco was pushed in the fray, Snape would jump in by his side – reluctantly to a certain degree but frequently. That would be a quick thank you.

And most of all he had to thank and thoroughly apologize to Hermione. His saving grace and sometimes his biggest fear. The one person who sat him down and let him know he was not alone in this world. Many times he'd questioned why such a girl would be there for him, cheerful accident was all he could put it down to. He would help her with anything, he owed her that and he knew it. But he didn't know how, he'd never done anything of this sort before. He'd never had feelings of this sort before. The feeling where you couldn't sleep without wondering if they were sleeping too. The feeling where you want to yell, scream and forget everything you ever did and at the same time wanting to burn the memories into your heart. It wasn't love. No love was different, but this certainly went beyond friendship, a point in their relationship that still didn't make sense to him. Maybe one day… no… he mustn't think so selfishly. He mustn't assume he had any type of future, least of all that he would continue to be with Hermione. It was that kind of far-fetched thinking that got him into this whole mess in the first place.

However deep down he'd give anything to be back in their private dorm and be sitting beside her as she read her book by the fire. But now she wanted nothing to do with him and they were back to square one.

---

Timshel as she was so brutally called was a fairly normal house elf. She was a pale purple colour with the generic cloth wrapped around her thin beaten body. It would have been a sad sight had there not been several others exactly like her. She carried on her back and large sack full of teaspoons for a dinner party coming up in the next week. If she were permitted to have a break she would have cried but instead she held her breath and trudged on up the stairs to the main dining room. While on her not so merry way she ran into a rather boney leg. Shaking with fear she stood up to look in the eyes whoever was about to scold her.

"Terrible sorry sir, Timshel wasn't being careful! Terrible sorry!" she said loudly with a hint of a lisp in her already unusual voice. The boy bent down and shook his head wildly and another three people behind him looked on frightfully.

"Shh, not so loud okay?" Harry shushed the elf, which so greatly reminded him of the departed Dobby. Timshel nodded but soon began to weep.

"Oi, quite or we'll get caught." Dean interrupted. The group of prisoners had caught a lucky break when in all the commotion upstairs Luna had managed to break open the locks on the cage and with most of the household owners lying paralyzed on the floor they were able to sneak away without being seen. The only problem now was getting out of the enormously complicated house.

"Sir, my punishment…" Timshel reminded Harry, not feeling right getting away with such a crime. She had after all gotten in his way.

"What? Oh it's fine really." Harry dismissed the issue with a flick of his hand.

"No, no I must suffer the punishment, sir, you must give me a suitable punishment." She insisted, her weak voice managed to hold a strong sense of stubbornness to it.

"Oh I know!" Luna piped up looking very chipper for someone covered in dirt.

"What?" Ron was shocked that Luna wanted to punish the elf in the first place; it was after all, just a house elf.

"Your punishment is getting us out of this house without anyone seeing us. If anyone sees us leaving then it'll be bigger trouble for you, okay?" Luna hardly changed her facial expression and was still looking joyful and sounding menacing at the same time. The poor elf would be quaking in her boots – if she had any.

"Oh… yes, of course, understood." The elf bowed to Luna who she seemed to recognize the most authority wise. Harry was positively confused but carried on anyway.

"Well, go on, lead the way house elf." Ron said feeling a bit hopeful for once.

"Timshel." She replied, unable to say her own name properly.

"Er… yeah whatever." Ron looked awkwardly at the others but they all just shrugged and Ron was left to look at the glaring house elf.

"My given name is Timshel." She said then motioned for the group to follow her and she bolted down the hallway. They were puffing just to catch up; she was small and fast, like some sort of cat. However her movements were like that of a bug.

"In here, please." She motioned for them to enter a very small green bathroom. They hardly enough room to put their feet since four and half people took up a fair bit of room in a bathroom the size of a broom closet.

"Hands on the wall in front of you, yes, very good." She nodded then bashed her head into a bathroom tile, which disappeared without a trace, and so did the floor beneath their feet. But at the same time a thin metal ladder pushed into their hands saving them from the deadly fall. Timshel looked amused at their puzzled looks but then began jumping down the ladder, so they quickly followed. Outside the door approaching footsteps could be heard, dainty steps that could belong only to the Malfoy mistress. She paused outside the door to the bathroom but then continued on, as though she couldn't be bothered with the matter but knew more than she let on.

The trip down the ladder was fast but dark, so a rather mysterious fear was a given. It was give or take about 40 meters down, but they were definitely underground by the time they reached the bottom. The bottom was an even darker tunnel, so the four of them quickly lit up the tips of their wands to provide light. The interior was hardly anything to boast about, it was built of stone old enough that you couldn't look at it and not see cracks.

"Okay, Timtell, stop for a second." Harry said only to be kicked very rudely in the back on the shin by very pointy toes one might add.

"Timshel!" she growled out at him and he apologized and let Luna take over.

"Sorry about him, he's not very aware of other creatures like I am, but I have a question for you," Luna said very calmly, "Where does this tunnel go?" she questioned pointing her wand down one end of the tunnel as there were two possible ways to go.

"Honeydukes miss." Timshel told them, leaving out the part that the old shop was fully abandoned at the present point of time.

"And the other way?" Dean asked though he was sure he'd like Honeydukes much more than any other way.

"Hogwarts." She replied but something on her face showed them that they didn't want to go there. Harry sighed; he understood all too well what was going on.

"It's started, he's there. Makes more sense that all his army would be gathering all of the sudden, Merlin how did we not see this?" he slapped his forehead and sent a very dark look down the other end of the tunnel. If he had a plan he would gladly run down there and get his much needed revenge on Voldemort. But there were more pressing issues – he had no idea where Hermione was, or if Malfoy had really sold them all out. Whatever it was he was mighty pissed with Malfoy right now.

"Sir, please put out all but one light, creatures down here don't like it so much." Timshel warned as a small chunk of stone fell from the far away wall. Ron bit his tongue and fought all thoughts about spiders to the very back of his mind.

---

The clock next to Draco Malfoy read nine-twenty and a growing man needed food. He could hear footsteps downstairs and the knot in his stomach was only getting tighter.

'It's just a simple conversation you wuss," he told himself harshly 'go down and say "good morning… sorry I ruined your life and got you tortured…"' Draco whacked himself in the head and took a deep breath. What did he have to be scared of? Granted there was a very powerful witch downstairs, possibly armed – but who's to say she hadn't cooled down yet? Draco wasn't a risk taker by trade but he'd started thinking differently and perhaps it was high time he stopped thinking and started doing. He rolled his sleeves up, gave himself a quick nod for self-reassurance and then tiptoed downstairs.

---

Pansy didn't really fancy walking around being a Mudblood but she had to admit, Hermione Granger had a fairly nice wardrobe. She'd spent the night looking at all the books on Hermione's bookcases and listening to her music. Lucky for her she knew tons of curses to make Hermione talk and asked only what she needed to know about latest events. She hated each and every minute and ended up resorting to looking at her old diaries. They almost brought Pansy to tears – she couldn't take any of it seriously.

_Dear diary, it's my first day, I'm very nervous – what if people don't like me because mom and dad aren't magic? Oh dear, nothing to do but be brave I suppose. _

Or perhaps the even funnier.

_Dear diary, I danced with Viktor today at the ball, Ron was red as a beetroot. Well perhaps if he had asked me first instead of putting me to the side I may have let him have a dance. Boys are just… fools! _

And so there was Pansy under the polyjuice potion looking just like the young Miss Granger. The real Miss Granger however was stored in the basement with all of the family wines and old junk boxes – bound and gagged. Pansy whistled her favourite tune while searching about the kitchen for glasses so she could organize breakfast for her and Draco. One day alone with him couldn't hurt – who was to know besides her?

"Er… good morning." Draco said from the door where he had been watching 'Hermione' waltz around the kitchen whistling.

"Good morning!" Pansy quickly giggled off the fact that her voice sounded far too high pitched to be Hermione's. Lucky for her Draco wasn't paying that much attention. He took a seat and then stood up.

"Sorry did you want help with that?" he quickly said.

"Hm?" Pansy looked at the array of food in front of her and burst out laughing 'Oh goodness no, sit down Drake… O!" she quickly corrected her pronunciation of Draco's name after he raised his eyebrows in a suspicious way.

"Are you feeling all right Granger?" he asked and noticed a small twinge of jealously showed itself on 'Hermione's' face.

"Yeah I'm okay, I just think I've forgotten where the glasses are. I'm so silly sometimes I just don't know where my head goes!" she giggled and Draco wondered if this was even Hermione.

"Are you… okay now?" he asked, wondering if maybe this good mood might be useful if he wanted to make amends with her.

"Oh yeah, what's a little torturing between two best friends!" she batted him playfully on the arm and his face went pale with his horror and confusion.

"What? Best friends?" he barely knew what to call their relationship but he knew that didn't fit the bill. No, he knew they had something a little deeper and complicated going on – if only to him.

"Oh sorry, didn't mean to offend you." Pansy fluttered her eyelashes in a way that was so unlike Hermione that it was starting to piss Draco off.

"Okay so what's with you this morning? Last night you wanted to kill and this morning we're best mates? I don't get you Granger." He commented then walked out of the room and Pansy was left with an unexplainable pain in her chest. Why would it hurt her? It wasn't her feelings he had aimed it at – he didn't say a word about Pansy at all. That's when it hit her, she didn't want to be Pansy and Draco, she wanted Draco to want it first otherwise it's like her mother was winning.

"You think you've got it bad Mudblood." She scoffed and continued her search for the glasses. She knew she only had about half a days worth of polyjuice potion left, it would last until about 10 at night. If she played her cards right she could find out what was going on with Hermione and Draco and if she could convince him to like Pansy instead. It was shallow, it was a long shot, but to Pansy it was good enough to try. Whether it failed or not, she would soon find out.

---

**I pinky promise a new chapter very soon. So sorry for the wait but half the places I've been to don't even have computers. Review and let me know your still out there. **


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